iPhone with triple-lens camera system could arrive with fall 2019 refresh

Posted:
in iPhone
Rumors claiming Apple is going to incorporate a three-lens camera system in a future iPhone refresh are buoyed by one analyst's expectations for companies in the Apple supply chain, but with the added suggestion it may not arrive until next year.

iPhone X camera


In a report into the fortunes of two smartphone component suppliers, Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting Co. analyst Jeff Pu suggests Apple is likely to launch a new iPhone using a triple-lens rear camera in the future. The note, received by Taipei Times, also expects Android device producer Huawei to introduce a similar lens system in a lower-specification model of the Mate 20.

It is claimed Apple will launch the supposed iPhone in the "second half of next year."

Pu's note follows after the results of Largan, a Taiwanese camera lens producer for smartphones, reported higher than expected revenue in the last month. Supplier to Apple and other Android vendors, Largan reportedly saw revenue increase 10.34 percent on a month-to-month basis, a rise that is tempered by it still representing a 6.02 percent year-on-year decrease in sales.

The company's revenue could receive an extra boost from Apple in the coming months, as well as from other firms. Pu assumes other smartphone producers will see Apple and Huawei's use of triple-lens cameras and attempt to add it into their own products, which could "provide a much-needed improvement in Largan's capacity utilization rate."

The analyst's suggested triple-lens iPhone launch follows after similar rumors about the imaging capabilities of the fall 2018 iPhone. A report from early April alleged one of the three expected 2018 iPhones will include a 5x optical zoom instead of the existing 2x version.

The extra lens could potentially be used to enhance its existing capabilities rather than increasing the level of zoom, such as improving low-light image quality. There is also the possibility of it being used for range-finding or as part of a rear depth-mapping system, which could enhance ARKit applications and add new camera effects.

Early rumors from 2017 about the iPhone X offered predictions along the lines of a three-lens system, possibly for range-finding purposes. Some reports suggested the use of a front and back VCSEL, but the final device ended up only using one on the front, which is used to power Face ID.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 41
    perpetual3perpetual3 Posts: 54member
    So much speculation and rumors making the news. If there is anything that is fake news for me, it’s “supply chain.”
    jbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 41
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    I want the one with 10 lenses inside it...
    coolfactor
  • Reply 3 of 41
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    iPhones already have the best lenses in the industry. That's why they are being used for major motion pictures.
  • Reply 4 of 41
    I just want a camera that can take landscape photos while the phone is held vertical. Give us a button to select portrait or landscape. Users almost never intend to shoot portrait video but holding the phone vertically is more natural and comfortable so the internet is full of portrait videos that everyone hates watching.
    mike1StrangeDayspatchythepirateuraharaking editor the gratefastasleepradarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 41
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    nunzy said:
    iPhones already have the best lenses in the industry. That's why they are being used for major motion pictures.
    It's excellent camera HW for a phone, it's easy to use, and there are great 3rd-party apps to maximize its usefulness, but I think other big parts are the equations are its cost to performance ratio and the free press generated by using it.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 41
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,120member
    jbdragon said:
    Throwing on a 3rd camera doesn't make the cameras better!!! This is typical Android thing. Take something and just over do it. More is better, type of thing. Yet Google Pixel phone with 1 camera seems to be the overall Winner. So maybe this is a more Software side issue that could improve overall picture quality, not throwing on a 3rd camera.


    You're right about software - that can make a big difference on the DSLR side too.

    I disagree with your "Throwing on a 3rd camera doesn't make the cameras better" statement though. I use the 2x zoom on my X regularly. I can get a full 12MP photo with tighter framing to my subject without having to get closer (often isn't practical when I'm on my bike). 
    edited May 2018 mike1doozydozenfastasleepradarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 41
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    macxpress said:
    I want the one with 10 lenses inside it...
    Yes and then they could justify a thicker phone, with a bigger battery
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 41
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 966member
    macxpress said:
    I want the one with 10 lenses inside it...
    That would still fall short of the Light L16… (actually not a phone, although it has about the same footprint) https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/4/10/17218758/light-l16-review-camera-photos
  • Reply 9 of 41
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,239member
    macxpress said:
    I want the one with 10 lenses inside it...
    This is one step closer to the nature-proven bug-eye lense...


  • Reply 10 of 41
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    Isn't this a fake news? Huawei Mate 20 is released. The news may be an ad for Huawei. Moreover, Huawei's old dual camera uses a black camera to improve low light and sharpness. Apple may be copying if it does this. 
  • Reply 11 of 41
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    I just want a camera that can take landscape photos while the phone is held vertical. Give us a button to select portrait or landscape. Users almost never intend to shoot portrait video but holding the phone vertically is more natural and comfortable so the internet is full of portrait videos that everyone hates watching.
    This is not practical. Shooting in portrait mode while holding the phone vertical, you will see the image occupying less than half of the screen. It becomes difficult to make adjustments. 
    lolliver
  • Reply 12 of 41
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,624member
    tzeshan said:
    I just want a camera that can take landscape photos while the phone is held vertical. Give us a button to select portrait or landscape. Users almost never intend to shoot portrait video but holding the phone vertically is more natural and comfortable so the internet is full of portrait videos that everyone hates watching.
    This is not practical. Shooting in portrait mode while holding the phone vertical, you will see the image occupying less than half of the screen. It becomes difficult to make adjustments. 
    He meant the opposite to what you interpretted. Holding the phone in a more comfortable vertical (portrait) orientation but having the result captured in landscape orientation.

    On the other point, yes the Huawei P20 (but the Pro version) and the Mate RS already have triple rear cameras.

    Someone else mentioned that it wasn't necessary to have a triple camera array.

    Almost everyone that has used the P20 Pro would seem to disagree.

    Just one example:

    https://petapixel.com/2018/04/20/huawei-p20-pro-vs-canon-5ds-r-im-stunned/


  • Reply 13 of 41
    olsols Posts: 50member
    macxpress said:
    I want the one with 10 lenses inside it...
    No, I want 20 and no less - LOL
  • Reply 14 of 41
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,311member
    avon b7 said:
    tzeshan said:
    I just want a camera that can take landscape photos while the phone is held vertical. Give us a button to select portrait or landscape. Users almost never intend to shoot portrait video but holding the phone vertically is more natural and comfortable so the internet is full of portrait videos that everyone hates watching.
    This is not practical. Shooting in portrait mode while holding the phone vertical, you will see the image occupying less than half of the screen. It becomes difficult to make adjustments. 
    He meant the opposite to what you interpretted. Holding the phone in a more comfortable vertical (portrait) orientation but having the result captured in landscape orientation.

    On the other point, yes the Huawei P20 (but the Pro version) and the Mate RS already have triple rear cameras.

    Someone else mentioned that it wasn't necessary to have a triple camera array.

    Almost everyone that has used the P20 Pro would seem to disagree.

    Just one example:

    https://petapixel.com/2018/04/20/huawei-p20-pro-vs-canon-5ds-r-im-stunned/


    It isn't necessary to have a triple camera array for quality images. Most users don't care about that level of IQ, and are more than happy with single or dual cameras. 

    Show me some sales numbers that demonstrate that there is a wide market for triple rear cameras. Otherwise, it's just a halo feature for a small niche. 
    edited May 2018
  • Reply 15 of 41
    Nameo_Nameo_ Posts: 34member
    It seems pointless, especially when the Pixel 2 with a single lense can take better portrait pics than the X with dual camera system. And that’s all thanks to software. Instead of Apple going with triple-lenses and increasing costs, they could go with working on software. Better yet, they can have triple-lenses AND work on software, and that will be the best smartphone camera in the world.
  • Reply 16 of 41
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,311member
    Nameo_ said:
    It seems pointless, especially when the Pixel 2 with a single lense can take better portrait pics than the X with dual camera system. And that’s all thanks to software. Instead of Apple going with triple-lenses and increasing costs, they could go with working on software. Better yet, they can have triple-lenses AND work on software, and that will be the best smartphone camera in the world.
    AR works better with dual lens and some separation, not dual pixel, as the Pixel 2 does.

    More to the point, Google only sold some 3.9 million Pixel 2, compared to maybe 180 million per year of dual lens iPhones.
    radarthekat
  • Reply 17 of 41
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,624member
    tmay said:
    avon b7 said:
    tzeshan said:
    I just want a camera that can take landscape photos while the phone is held vertical. Give us a button to select portrait or landscape. Users almost never intend to shoot portrait video but holding the phone vertically is more natural and comfortable so the internet is full of portrait videos that everyone hates watching.
    This is not practical. Shooting in portrait mode while holding the phone vertical, you will see the image occupying less than half of the screen. It becomes difficult to make adjustments. 
    He meant the opposite to what you interpretted. Holding the phone in a more comfortable vertical (portrait) orientation but having the result captured in landscape orientation.

    On the other point, yes the Huawei P20 (but the Pro version) and the Mate RS already have triple rear cameras.

    Someone else mentioned that it wasn't necessary to have a triple camera array.

    Almost everyone that has used the P20 Pro would seem to disagree.

    Just one example:

    https://petapixel.com/2018/04/20/huawei-p20-pro-vs-canon-5ds-r-im-stunned/


    It isn't necessary to have a triple camera array for quality images. Most users don't care about that level of IQ, and are more than happy with single or dual cameras. 

    Show me some sales numbers that demonstrate that there is a wide market for triple rear cameras. Otherwise, it's just a halo feature for a small niche. 
    As I have mentioned on many occasions, smartphones reached 'good enough' levels a couple of years ago. I am very happy with mine in spite of it being a low end phone.

    I have no need to upgrade but my next phone will have a dual camera array. That is almost a given even if I am not explicitly looking for a dual camera and would be fine with just one.

    Currently though, if you are going to pay premium prices, you want the phone to have the necessary extras. So, while most users might not care about tri camera setups, the people that are considering premium phones probably will care.

    Currently, the P20 Pro can do things no other phone can do in photography. It is as simple as that and I have yet to see any review that disputes this.

    I don't know the sales numbers because the phone has only been on the market for a few weeks. That said, Huawei has stated that the P20 Pro got off to a flying start:

    http://me.pcmag.com/huawei/10916/news/huawei-p20-pro-smashes-sales-records-in-uae

    https://www.androidauthority.com/huawei-p20-pro-europe-sales-859899/
  • Reply 18 of 41
    analogjackanalogjack Posts: 1,073member
    macxpress said:
    I want the one with 10 lenses inside it...
    Lenses will end up going like razors...

    https://www.theonion.com/fuck-everything-were-doing-five-blades-1819584036


    "There is also the possibility of it being used for range-finding..."

    Unlikely, as they couldn't be far enough apart. Your eyes don't simply see 3d because of their distance apart there are other trick calculations your brain does, for example working out the angle that the eyeballs have to converge to both point at the same object. However I always thought it would be cool to have two lenses on opposite sides of the long side of the camera to take the photo from two angles to produce proper stereo photos to be placed in a specially designed stereoscope much like the stereo slide viewers of the 50's which even today look great.
    edited May 2018 cgWerkswatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 41
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    avon b7 said:
    tzeshan said:
    I just want a camera that can take landscape photos while the phone is held vertical. Give us a button to select portrait or landscape. Users almost never intend to shoot portrait video but holding the phone vertically is more natural and comfortable so the internet is full of portrait videos that everyone hates watching.
    This is not practical. Shooting in portrait mode while holding the phone vertical, you will see the image occupying less than half of the screen. It becomes difficult to make adjustments. 
    He meant the opposite to what you interpretted. Holding the phone in a more comfortable vertical (portrait) orientation but having the result captured in landscape orientation.

    On the other point, yes the Huawei P20 (but the Pro version) and the Mate RS already have triple rear cameras.

    Someone else mentioned that it wasn't necessary to have a triple camera array.

    Almost everyone that has used the P20 Pro would seem to disagree.

    Just one example:

    https://petapixel.com/2018/04/20/huawei-p20-pro-vs-canon-5ds-r-im-stunned/


    You understand me wrong. If you want the image captured in landscape orientation, how could the screen display the full image on the whole screen when you are holding the phone vertically? 
  • Reply 20 of 41
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,311member
    avon b7 said:
    tmay said:
    avon b7 said:
    tzeshan said:
    I just want a camera that can take landscape photos while the phone is held vertical. Give us a button to select portrait or landscape. Users almost never intend to shoot portrait video but holding the phone vertically is more natural and comfortable so the internet is full of portrait videos that everyone hates watching.
    This is not practical. Shooting in portrait mode while holding the phone vertical, you will see the image occupying less than half of the screen. It becomes difficult to make adjustments. 
    He meant the opposite to what you interpretted. Holding the phone in a more comfortable vertical (portrait) orientation but having the result captured in landscape orientation.

    On the other point, yes the Huawei P20 (but the Pro version) and the Mate RS already have triple rear cameras.

    Someone else mentioned that it wasn't necessary to have a triple camera array.

    Almost everyone that has used the P20 Pro would seem to disagree.

    Just one example:

    https://petapixel.com/2018/04/20/huawei-p20-pro-vs-canon-5ds-r-im-stunned/


    It isn't necessary to have a triple camera array for quality images. Most users don't care about that level of IQ, and are more than happy with single or dual cameras. 

    Show me some sales numbers that demonstrate that there is a wide market for triple rear cameras. Otherwise, it's just a halo feature for a small niche. 
    As I have mentioned on many occasions, smartphones reached 'good enough' levels a couple of years ago. I am very happy with mine in spite of it being a low end phone.

    I have no need to upgrade but my next phone will have a dual camera array. That is almost a given even if I am not explicitly looking for a dual camera and would be fine with just one.

    Currently though, if you are going to pay premium prices, you want the phone to have the necessary extras. So, while most users might not care about tri camera setups, the people that are considering premium phones probably will care.

    Currently, the P20 Pro can do things no other phone can do in photography. It is as simple as that and I have yet to see any review that disputes this.

    I don't know the sales numbers because the phone has only been on the market for a few weeks. That said, Huawei has stated that the P20 Pro got off to a flying start:

    http://me.pcmag.com/huawei/10916/news/huawei-p20-pro-smashes-sales-records-in-uae

    https://www.androidauthority.com/huawei-p20-pro-europe-sales-859899/
    So did the Pixel 2.

    No numbers, no confidence that they are the "top" sellers other than for Huawei in comparison to previous model sales, which means what exactly?

    You diss all data that actually provides iPhone sales numbers. Why would I not believe that those "smash" numbers are bullshit?

    Oh, BTW.

    I looked up sales of the P9, and the only article that I could find was that from April 2016 to March 2017, all P9 models combined sold about 12 million units worldwide; that's about a million a month.

    Good for Huawei, I suppose, but not really in Apple's league for premium phone sales. Maybe combine all of the current Mate Models, plus the Honor models, might push Huawei to 30 million in sales for this year.
    edited May 2018 watto_cobra
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