Why is the HDR Dolby Vision video recording capability on the iPhone 12 such a crucial upgrade?

The iPhone 12 comes with a plethora of new features, such as 5G and MagSafe. However, perhaps the most remarkable technological addition to this flagship is its ability to capture and edit HDR 10-bit videos in Dolby Vision format.

Why is the HDR Dolby Vision video recording capability on the iPhone 12 such a crucial upgrade?

The iPhone 12 comes with a plethora of new features, such as 5G and MagSafe. However, perhaps the most remarkable technological addition to this flagship is its ability to capture and edit HDR 10-bit videos in Dolby Vision format.

What is Dolby Vision, and why should you care about it?

Why is Dolby Vision an important upgrade?
Dolby Vision is an exclusive HDR video format. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, and HDR video contains significantly more information than SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) videos. A camera capable of recording HDR video will capture more information about a scene than usual, including more colors and more visible details in highlight and shadow areas.
To take full advantage of HDR video, you need to watch it on an HDR display. The same applies to Dolby Vision, as it is an exclusive format. Not all HDR displays and TVs are compatible with Dolby Vision content, but this format is becoming increasingly common.
What makes Dolby Vision special is its use of dynamic metadata. Unlike HDR10, which is an open format, Dolby Vision uses dynamic metadata to map the color of each scene or frame. This method is more advanced than HDR10 because it provides the display with more information on how to render a frame. Dolby Vision even leverages the capabilities of the display in the color mapping process to accurately reproduce content on various screens.

Previously, various smartphones had HDR video recording capabilities, including models from Sony, LG, and Samsung (which favored its own HDR10+ format). Apple became the first company to support Dolby Vision video recording on a mobile device or standalone camera, as the Dolby Vision video recording process typically requires adding Dolby Vision metadata in post-production.
The impressive aspect of Dolby Vision video recording on iPhone 12 is the immense computational power required. The iPhone must capture and process data from the camera sensor, record Dolby Vision metadata, and store all this in real-time. All while the hardware is also managing an operating system and other phone functionalities.

Dolby Vision Video Recording on iPhone 12
The iPhone 12 (starting at $699) and its mini version can record Dolby Vision video at 4K resolution and 30 fps. Opting for the iPhone 12 Pro (starting at $999) allows recording Dolby Vision video at 4K resolution and 60 fps. This is because the iPhone 12 Pro has more RAM (both devices have the same A14 Bionic SoC).

The A14 Bionic chip is a crucial component enabling Apple to bring Dolby Vision HDR video recording to the iPhone for the first time. Therefore, don't expect to see Dolby Vision video recording or any similar 10-bit HDR feature on older devices through a software update.
The iPhone 12 features a 10-bit OLED display with a maximum brightness of 1200 nits, brighter than most OLED panels used in computer monitors or TVs on the market. Naturally, if you're recording Dolby Vision video, you'll want a Dolby Vision-compatible display to view your recordings!

Bringing Dolby Vision video recording to the iPhone isn't a joke. Besides smartphones, recording 10-bit video requires a high-end mirrorless camera like the Sony A7S III ($3,499) or Panasonic GH5S ($2,499), not to mention additional lens costs. You need to use logarithmic picture profiles like Slog3 (Sony) to create a 'flat' image that can be color graded in post-production.

Of course, the iPhone is still limited by factors such as form factor, small sensor, non-interchangeable lens, limited battery life, and a processor that has to handle many other tasks besides video recording. Don't expect to work like Hollywood professionals on this pocket device, but you'll notice a significant leap in video quality, color depth, and much higher maximum brightness compared to SDR videos.

Drawbacks of Dolby Vision Video Recording
Dolby Vision is an HDR video format, but it's not widely adopted. Compared to its closest competitor, HDR10+, Dolby Vision is supported by many TV manufacturers. The only major brand that doesn't support Dolby Vision as of now is Samsung.
For many people, the iPhone 12 will be the only Dolby Vision-compatible device they own. This inadvertently makes the Dolby Vision content they've recorded only viewable on other iPhone 12 screens. Moreover, the practicality of sharing HDR videos will face many hurdles.
Dolby Vision videos are limited to viewing on Dolby Vision displays. If you've ever watched an HDR video on an SDR screen, you'll notice how colors appear washed out and peculiar. If Apple can find a way to share Dolby Vision videos in SDR format, they could make this new format more appealing and flexible.

Additionally, one cannot overlook the issue of storage space. Recording 10-bit video means you'll accumulate significantly more data than usual. Even with highly efficient video codecs like HEVC (H.265), Dolby Vision videos will still occupy a considerably larger space compared to SDR videos. You'll need a larger iCloud storage plan or a higher capacity iPhone.
More data also means the A14 chip has to work harder to ensure real-time metadata recording. Recording Dolby Vision video will drain the battery faster than recording SD video. The same applies to post-production, editing, and file processing.
Even watching Dolby Vision videos will consume more battery, as the screen needs to work harder to render brighter highlight areas than usual.

Will Dolby Vision Become Popular?
There's a question about how widely iPhone 12 users will embrace Dolby Vision, at least initially. Dolby Vision TVs only started appearing a few years ago. If you don't already own such a TV, do you really want to record anything in this format?
A similar question was raised a few years ago when Apple introduced 4K recording on the iPhone. How many iPhone users manually switched to recording in high resolution in Settings > Camera? In reality, Apple has never 'forced' users to switch to 4K through any iOS update.

Despite the impressive technological achievement by Apple, stepping back from the crowd excited about the new iPhone, you'll find that Dolby Vision video recording is indeed a somewhat specialized feature, not very valuable to regular iPhone users in the short term. For content creators, videographers, YouTubers, and those who enjoy tinkering with videos, Dolby Vision makes the iPhone 12 a worthwhile investment. For everyone else, 5G and MagSafe are perhaps more appealing features.
However, HDR video will become more prevalent in the coming years as more screens and smartphones support it, whether with Dolby's proprietary technology or not. Qualcomm once demoed a 'professional-quality' HDR10+ video shot on a device using the Snapdragon 855 SoC earlier this year, and on the Snapdragon 865, they added Dolby Vision support. Samsung has supported HDR10+ on some Galaxy models since 2019.
Bringing Dolby Vision to the iPhone 12 is a win for HDR video in general, helping to make this format more popular. It's also a win for Dolby, as the company seems to be in a better position than ever to win the emerging HDR format race.