Glossary

Live Wallpaper & Live Photo Glossary

Plain-English definitions of the terms behind iPhone live wallpapers — Live Photos, HEIC, spatial scenes and how they differ.

HEIC Format on iPhone: What It Is and Why Live Photos Use It

HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) is Apple iPhone photo format since iOS 11. Live Photos store the still frame as HEIC paired with a MOV for motion.
iOS 26 Spatial Scenes: Apple Immersive Wallpapers Explained

Spatial Scenes are iOS 26 new wallpaper type: depth-layered images that shift as you move your phone. Available on iPhone 15 Pro and later as lock screens.
Live Wallpaper vs Live Photo: The iPhone Difference

Live Photos and live wallpapers are related but different: a Live Photo is a camera format, while a live wallpaper is a Live Photo set as your lock screen.
Native Live Photo Format: Why It Matters for Wallpapers

A native Live Photo (.heic + .mov pair with QuickTime metadata) is the only format that sets directly as an iPhone lock screen and animates on wake.
What Is a Live Photo? iPhone Animated Format Explained

A Live Photo is a 1.5-second animated image from iPhone, stored as a HEIC still paired with a MOV video. Available on iPhone 6S and later, iOS 9 and up.

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