Doly for iPhone can render 3D videos just by scanning the product with the camera

Doly, a 3D video rendering app for iPhone that can easily create 3D product videos, launched on Monday. Developed by French startup AniML, the app offers a cloud display of any product – from a bottle of water to a fancy shoe – just by scanning it with a smartphone camera. The free-to-download app allows anyone to generate high-quality 3D product videos by removing the background and adding their own dynamic backgrounds to showcase them. In April, Tencent unveiled its InstantMesh AI model that can render 3D videos from 2D images.

Doly app features

Although there are already apps and websites that can render a 3D image from 2D images, generating 3D video remains difficult. This is because it is very difficult to analyze objects with spatial points and then render them consistently in video. One popular technique that has emerged recently is called Neural Radiation Fields (NeRF). It uses artificial neural networks to “imagine” sides of an object that cannot be seen properly to create consistent results. However, according to a TechCrunch report, AniML uses another 3D rendering technology called Gaussian splatting, which is also a similar technique.

Gadgets 360 tested the app and we found the process to be somewhat time-consuming, as it would take multiple attempts to scan the product correctly. Then it takes about an hour to render the video. The displayed videos are vertically aligned. In our testing, the result was not very good. The object had visible polygons, and the promised high-quality rendering was nowhere to be found. However, this could be a lighting issue as we scanned the product indoors with artificial lighting. We have attached a screenshot of the results below.

A screenshot of the rendering of the product video on Doly

Based on the App Store listing, Doly is aimed at e-commerce store owners, small businesses, marketplaces, marketers, and product designers. However, there is a price for downloading videos. The first video download is free, but each one after that requires a Doly Plus subscription. It charges Rs. 2999 per month or Rs. 24,900 per year which gives subscribers 40 product videos per month as well as exclusive video templates.

How to make 3D product videos on Doly

Gadgets 360 tested the iPhone app and found it to be very easy to use. The application guides you through the entire process of creating a 3D product video. The process is quite simple. We have listed the steps for easier navigation.

1. Download and install the Doly app from the App Store. You’ll need an iPhone 11 or later to work.
2. Open the app and sign in.
3. Select the Fast 180 degree video option. You will need to complete this before creating detailed videos.
4. After you allow the app to access the iPhone’s camera, you’ll be asked to rotate the phone around the device while it takes photos.
5. When you’re done, you’ll need to take a slow and steady video of the product moving around it. The app will tell you if you are moving too fast or if the camera position needs to be changed.
6. The app will then share several featured images of the product. You will need to resize them to fit the entire product.
7. Finally, you will need to choose a wallpaper.
8. That’s it. The 3D video should be rendered soon.