Quick Summary
For the first time ever, a live football match will be streamed entirely using iPhones.
It's happening in the MLS this weekend, and this is how to watch it.
It's no secret that the camera quality of phones has gotten better and better over the years. It's a big part of the reason why many have ditched owning a 'proper' camera, with the ease of having it in your pocket worth more than the increased resolution.
But just how good are they really? Well, we're about to find out, as Apple TV is putting the iPhone 17 Pro to the test in a big way.
This weekend, the MLS fixture between LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo will be filmed entirely using those devices, for the first time ever. That's not a typo – there won't be a professional broadcast camera hidden just out of sight, just a stack of the same iPhone you could go out and buy.
The brand has been incorporating the devices into its workflow for a few month now, kicking off with some of its baseball coverage in September 2025. However, those are normally part of a larger slew of more professional kit.
So, will it work? Well, there's only one way to find out – tune in and watch the game on Saturday at 7:30pm PT (3:30am BST).
The game is available to watch for Apple TV subscribers in over 100 countries, and I suspect this one might see higher viewing figures than most, given the interest in the technology. Anyone who isn't already subscribed can sign up for a one-week free trial, just in time to catch the game.
Personally, I'm really excited to see this. While there are all manner of examples of 'good enough' footage from phones, this is one of the first like-for-like tests with real-world significance.
If the output is up to par with professional systems – or, at the very least, not so far behind that the average Joe notices something wrong – it could make it much easier to showcase a wide variety of content without such significant overheads.
