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Smartphone camera designs are about to get even crazier

Published Dec 12th, 2018 7:37PM EST
Huawei P30 Pro vs. Galaxy S10

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When the Galaxy S10 launches in February, it will be available in four versions, reports say, complete with four distinct camera setups. We’re looking at combinations of single and dual-lens selfie cams, as well as multi-lens rear cameras — that’s anywhere from two to four cameras on the back.

But a new leak tells us smartphone camera design is about to get even crazier in 2019, with one of Samsung’s most significant competitors working on a different multi-lens camera module for next year.

The signature feature of the Huawei P20 Pro (pictured above) is the triple-lens camera on the back. Launched back in March, Huawei’s phone made triple-lens cameras a thing, and other Android vendors followed suit, Samsung included, which unveiled mid-range phones featuring triple-lens and quad-lens camera modules on the back. Then, in October, Huwaei unveiled the Mate 20 Pro, a phone that also sports three cameras on the back.

That’s all you need to know before looking at the following renders that show purported cases for the upcoming P30 Pro flagship. On the back, we have two large cutouts, one big enough to accommodate three lenses, and one for a huge camera flash.

Image source: Twitter

Samsung insider Ice Universe was first to show off the P30 Pro cases alongside similar products for the Galaxy S10:

Then, Slashleaks followed with more case renders that also showcase the alleged design of the P30 Pro:

Image source: SlashLeaks

Presumably, Huawei is interested in offering users even better low-light photography, and that’s where a bigger flash may come in handy. That said, we’ve heard nothing else about the upcoming Huawei flagship, though we expect the Chinese maker to unveil the phone at some point in February or March.

Image source: SlashLeaks

Google’s decision to stick with a single-lens camera on the back for one more year stands out even more when looking at these images. That’s because Google is using AI to improve photography rather than adding an extra camera — but even Google reverted to using two cameras on the front of the Pixel 3. More importantly, Google has an impressive Night Sight feature that lets it shoot even better low-light photos than its competitors (without an oversized flash).

On the other hand, Nokia is rumored to launch a Nokia 9 flagship in the near future that will have up to five cameras on the back, which would mark a first for the industry.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.