New iPhone App Could Take 3D Virtual Home Tours Mainstream

Since the pandemic, video tours and open houses are the new normal, but now that Matterport has launched an app that allows iPhone or iPad users to capture 3D scans of their homes, 3D virtual home tours could go mainstream as well. Before, users needed an over $3,000 camera to capture a high-quality scan with Matterport software. But now, this app will give clear, accurate results that are hard to tell apart from the more professional scans, according to Redfin. Real estate agents can include a Matterport 3D scan on Redfin’s website, which the company says will help the listing stand out.

Since 2014, Redfin has created interactive 3D scans for our listings to help prospective buyers virtually walk through homes Redfin agents list for sale. These scans use 3D Matterport technology and until today, required a fancy camera that costs anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Now, Matterport is making that technology available to everyone with an iPhone or iPad. Buyers love these scans and Redfin has featured them in our TV ads every year for the past six years. Check out this video to see them in action.

Since the pandemic began, views of virtual walkthroughs on Redfin.com are up 303%. So we thought we’d give the new Matterport software a try and compare a scan from an iPhone 11 to one from a $3,400 Pro2 camera from Matterport. Can you tell which version below was created with the phone?

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