When Apple trotted out the iPhone 12 lineup last October, it also introduced the ability to record video in Dolby Vision HDR. It was a first for smartphones, not just iPhones. But there was a catch. While you could record all the Dolby Vision videos you wanted, sharing options were limited. But today, Apple and Dolby are teaming up with Vimeo to natively upload Dolby Vision videos shot on iPhone 12 models.
Dolby Vision HDR is a proprietary video format that, in layman’s terms, looks really freaking nice. You shoot in Dolby Vision, and the videos will have greater contrast, colour accuracy, brightness, and detail. But like Dolby Atmos, not every device or platform out there supports Dolby Vision just yet. For some, the iPhone 12 might just be the only device they own that supports the format. And if you wanted to upload your ultra-pretty videos onto social media? Forget it. Some users found that content that looked perfectly nice on their iPhones looked like garbage when uploaded to social media or sent in text messages. For the most part, true Dolby Vision playback was limited to major platforms like Netflix or Vudu. (And even that requires your TV to support Dolby Vision too.)
So, with today’s announcement, you can now upload Dolby Vision videos shot on iPhone 12 models onto Vimeo directly without worrying about picture quality degrading. The same applies to Dolby Vision videos edited in iMovie or Final Cut Pro. The feature is live now and is directly integrated into the iOS Photos app so long as you install the Vimeo app. You can also watch these videos in Dolby Vision, provided you’re viewing them on an Apple device that supports it.
Granted, Vimeo is not YouTube. YouTube has more than 2 billion users, while Vimeo has around 200 million. However, Vimeo does allow for higher-quality uploads than YouTube and is largely viewed as a platform used by professionals. Likewise, the people who are serious about shooting in Dolby Vision HDR are most likely creators themselves. You know, people who already understand the format and how best to use it. It was always obvious that Dolby Vision recording on iPhone 12 models was aimed at the creative professional set — so this news makes sense. Is this a means of luring creatives to Apple’s products and keeping them there? Of course: It’s the Apple way.