Ever since iPhone 12 rumors started flying around, it has been widely believed that the Pro models would add a new sensor to the rear camera array. Now, photographic evidence has emerged that makes it more likely than ever that a LiDAR sensor will be featured on the back of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Both the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have three cameras: a main shooter supported by an ultra-wide angle sensor and a telephoto lens. These three lenses will almost certainly return in the iPhone 12 Pro model, and Apple is expected to add a LiDAR sensor similar to the one on the back of the latest iPad Pro.

Over the weekend, a Reddit user posted a photo of what is believed to be an iPhone 12 Pro Max case. The back of the case has three large cutouts, which one can assume will house the main lens, the ultra-wide angle lens, and the telephoto lens. There is also a pinpoint hole, which we assume is the rear microphone. There are two remaining holes, one for the flash and the other for the new sensor. It is expected that the LiDAR sensor will be placed there.

Now, not every photo that appears on Reddit is the real McCoy, and this one is from someone who has no track record of providing accurate leaked information. Nevertheless, this photo is consistent with previous leaks indicating what Apple might do with the iPhone 12 Pro's camera array. Specifically, the early August leak included a sketch of the lens layout of both the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Max. This is quite similar to what is shown in the Reddit photo, but the location of the microphone hole is different.

The LiDAR sensor in the iPhone 12 will be able to measure distances more quickly and accurately than a typical time-of-flight sensor. This will undoubtedly improve portrait photos taken with the iPhone 12 Pro model, but it will also allow augmented reality (AR) apps that rely on knowing how far away real-world objects are. [iOS 14, currently in beta stage, includes ARKit 4, a new developer tool for developing AR apps. among ARKit 4's features is the new Depth API, which allows more accurate measurements to instantly place virtual objects and improve object occlusion with The iPad Pro will benefit from this new feature, as will iPhones with similar LiDAR sensors.

Assuming the phone case posted on Reddit is real, Apple will have much more to say about LiDAR and what it means for the iPhone 12 Pro when it launches the new model. That could happen as early as next month, but the phone itself may not ship until later in the fall.