Instead of using a standard 3D ToF sensor for its new iPad Pro, Apple has upped the ante by using a LiDAR scanner instead. It has opted for the more advanced technology to take the augmented reality capabilities of the iPad Pro to the next level.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/A-closer-look-at-the-LiDAR-scanner-on-the-new-iPad-Pro.458447.0.html
Pretty sure the "LiDAR" is the exact same as the current ToF cameras... probably the exact same Sony sensor used by Samsung and other mobile devices... Apple just wants you to think it's something different - Hey look it's super advanced, we use the same tech as NASA!
@Bran Read the explanation of the difference in the third paragraph. It is definitely not the same as a standard 3D ToF - I researched it for the article.
They both make use of the concept of measuring the time of flight (ToF) of photons to calculate depth of objects in a field of view (FoV). The more interesting question is what technology are they using, because some are more powerful than others. If they are using high speed MEMS mirror scanning lidar to sequentially scan the environment pixel by pixel, that will be a real leap forward vs using flash lidar or some other panel approach. For example, with MEMS scanning lidar the sensor can zoom in to an area within the FoV for closer inspection while still scanning the whole area simultaneously. Microvision has a lot of IP in this regard, as does Primesense which was acquired by Apple a few years ago.