Samsung aims to usurp Apple's iPhone camera supremacy next year with a massive overhaul to the cameras on its flagship phones, reports Bloomberg.

samsung galaxy s11 plus onleaks

Galaxy S11+ Render from @OnLeaks

Its upcoming Galaxy S11 will sport a 108-megapixel sensor for the main camera -- versus the iPhone 11's 12 -- flanked by three more on the back of the device including an ultrawide-angle lens and 5x optical zoom, they said. The marquee device will also adopt a time-of-flight sensor for depth detection similar to one already in the Note 10+, a feature that can aid portrait photos and augmented-reality applications, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing specifications that haven’t been made public.

The high-resolution sensor and 5x zoom camera will also feature in its second Galaxy Fold device, which is expected to be unveiled in February, around the same time as the launch of the Galaxy S11 launch, according to Bloomberg. Affiliate Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. developed the 5x zoom module, which went into production earlier this year.

The arsenal of lenses planned for the rear of the S11 are said to be a key part of Samsung's bid to outshine Apple in next year's smartphone stakes, with 5G connectivity and foldable devices forming the other core pillars of its head-start hardware strategy. Apple's next generation of flagship smartphones aren't expected to arrive until several months later in the fall.

Apple made major changes to the rear camera system in the 2019 ‌iPhone‌ lineup with the new triple-lens setup of the ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro and Pro Max, and 2020 is expected to bring even more camera improvements.

Rumors suggest Apple will add a laser-powered time-of-flight 3D rear camera to the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, which will bring significant improvements in augmented reality experiences.

The camera is said to be able to scan areas up to 15 feet from the device. Apple's front-facing TrueDepth camera uses similar 3D technology but because it's infrared and not laser-powered, it only works at distances of 25 to 50 centimeters.

Apple plans to release an all-OLED lineup in 2020 consisting of 5.4-inch, two 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch models in the second half of the year, according to the latest prediction from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The 6.1-inch "‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro" and 6.7-inch "iPhone 12 Pro Max" are expected to feature a triple-lens rear camera. So far, rumors indicate these two higher-end iPhones will use the new time-of-flight rear camera, so it may not be available in the lower-end iPhones that are going to have a lower price tag.

Top Rated Comments

nickawhite Avatar
50 months ago
Might as well just get it over with and make the bump the same length and width as the entire phone now.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UltimaKilo Avatar
50 months ago
The camera as a main feature upgrade of a phone at this point is... boring.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Liquid Galaxy Avatar
50 months ago
The unfortunate thing is that my purchasing decisions are only 10 or 20 percent swayed by hardware. Does the phone run iOS? No. Well then, there’s nothing left to say.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
50 months ago
Haha, reverting back to the megapixel wars.

The sad part is some people will actually believe 108 megapixels makes the sensor 108 times better.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Piggie Avatar
50 months ago
All I will say is that we should all consider ourselves lucky that we have multiple companies trying to push forward and create better products (camera's) for us, the customers.
Whoever does it, you should be happy.
If someone comes up with something that works better than what we already have and is successful due to it, then this will be copied in some way by other companies raising the standard for everyone to enjoy.
Just think how bad phones would be today, if only 1 company made them with no competition.

I look forward to all improvements, and so should we all. :)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PBG4 Dude Avatar
50 months ago

I know you’re right and I’m in the minority, but I actually print out, give away, and display about .5-1% of my pictures, which is quite a few. I switched my from a digital camera to my iPhone, purely for convenience, and I have definitely felt the difference, but they’re doing better and better.

When the iPhone went up to 12 megapixels, it meant that many of my uncropped pics could be printed at 11x14, and even things that I zoomed and cropped could be printed at 8x10 and look good. I can’t imagine the fun I’d have with 108!

But Samsung means android, and I’m in too deep.
I have a 40”x50” print of Bryce Canyon that originated from my 6.3 megapixel 2003 Canon 300D (Canon’s first consumer dSLR) and a 75-300mm lens. I thought it was going to be blocky as hell but it looks great. I have no idea how they did it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 for All iPhones and iPads

Tuesday September 26, 2023 12:47 pm PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates, with the software coming five days after the releases of iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1. Today's iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates arrive as build 21A351 and can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Note that iOS 17.0.2 was previously made available for iPhone...
iPhone 15 Pro Lineup Feature

Kuo: iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issues Likely Due to Thermal Compromises, Not 3nm Node

Tuesday September 26, 2023 9:12 am PDT by
Complaints about heat issues with the iPhone 15 Pro models are not related to TSMC's 3-nanometer node that was used for the A17 Pro chip, according to well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says that overheating could be caused by "compromises made in the thermal system design" that allowed Apple to cut down on the weight of the iPhone 15 Pro models. Kuo says that the reduced heat...
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.1 Beta 1

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:57 pm PDT by
Just a week after releasing iOS 17, Apple has seeded the first beta of iOS 17.1 to developers. iOS 17.1 adds some features that Apple promised were coming to iOS 17 in the future, plus it refines and improves some existing features. This guide covers everything new in the first iOS 17.1 beta. Apple Music Favorites You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1...
macos sonoma 4

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma With New Widget Features, Safari Updates, Screen Sharing Improvements and More

Tuesday September 26, 2023 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS 14 Sonoma, the newest version of the operating system that runs on the Mac. macOS Sonoma has been in beta testing for several months, and it is compatible with the 2019 and later iMac, the iMac Pro, the 2018 and later Mac mini, the 2018 and later MacBook Pro, the 2019 and later Mac Pro, and the Mac Studio. The ‌macOS Sonoma update can be downloaded for free on...