Apple recently invited CNET's Patrick Holland to visit its professional labs in Cupertino, where company engineers test and calibrate the iPhone 16's audio and video capabilities. Holland's tour focused on the longwave anechoic chamber, where the walls, ceiling and floor are covered with foam wedges to eliminate echoes. The facility is used to test the iPhone 16’s four microphones, which deliver professional-grade audio quality despite their small size.
Ruchir Dave, senior director of acoustic engineering at Apple, explained:
"The iPhone is a ubiquitous recording device that can be used in many different contexts, so we wanted to ensure that the memories the user was trying to capture were captured in their most authentic form.
Our approach is one of quality and practicality. As part of this, we developed a novel microphone component that allows us to deliver some of the best acoustic performance in mobile products, and we also developed features such as AudioMix, which gives users the flexibility to capture different sounds and the freedom to be creative during editing and adjust them as they please. "
The testing process used by Apple involves a complex speaker array that plays ringtones as the iPhone rotates, creating a spherical sound profile. This data forms the basis for features such as spatial audio and audio mixing, which allow users to adjust recorded audio to simulate different types of microphones. Apple conducts comparative playback testing with multiple testers in independent, soundproof studios to ensure consistent audio quality.
The highlight of the tour was a theater-sized video verification lab, where Apple engineers calibrate display performance under various lighting conditions. The lab features a giant screen that simulates how video would appear on an iPhone display, whether viewed in a dark room, office, or in bright sunlight. For more details, check out the full coverage on CNET.