From Digital Camera World · · 1m 50s
iPhone 18 Pro takes baseball broadcasting to new places
Apple's new flagship phone is being used to capture Friday Night Baseball from angles traditional cameras cannot reach.
In brief
Apple's new flagship phone is being used to capture Friday Night Baseball from angles traditional cameras cannot reach. The iPhone 18 Pro's compact size and advanced camera system allow broadcasters to place cameras in stadium locations previously impossible with traditional broadcast equipment, expanding creative…
iPhone 18 Pro launches globally today
The iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, and AirPods 5 go on sale September 18 in stores worldwide. The launch coincides with Apple's ambitious use of the phones for live sports broadcasting.
14 iPhones will broadcast Giants vs Dodgers
Apple is deploying 14 iPhone 18 Pros to capture Friday's Giants versus Dodgers game for Apple TV, reaching 60 countries. The phones will be hidden in stadium locations impossible for traditional broadcast cameras.
Cameras hidden in impossible places
Eight iPhones will be mounted on the pitch clock, behind the backstop, on foul poles, and in both bullpens. These locations were previously unreachable with traditional broadcast equipment.
Private 5G network ensures reliable broadcast
Eight of the 14 iPhones use a dedicated T-Mobile 5G network operating at a different frequency than the 50,000 fans' phones. This guarantees stable live feeds rather than unreliable connections.
iPhone footage goes live, not just highlights
The iPhone 18 Pro footage will be integrated into live coverage, not relegated to highlight packages. Cameras can now capture batting practice, player instructions, and dugout activity.
Advanced camera features aid broadcast engineers
The 48-megapixel fusion camera includes variable aperture and accessible pro controls like white balance. These features help broadcast engineers manage footage from unconventional mounting positions.
Not Apple's first sports broadcast experiment
Four iPhone 17s were used at Fenway Park in September 2025, marking Apple's first live sports broadcast with iPhones. The iPhone 18 Pro represents a significant expansion of that concept.
The takeaway
The iPhone 18 Pro's compact size and advanced camera system allow broadcasters to place cameras in stadium locations previously impossible with traditional broadcast equipment, expanding creative coverage options for live sports.
