Xiaomi ‘s devices of the future may bring back to life a technology that many thought was a thing of the past on the stage of history without a trace: cameras with telescopic lenses, removable from the body of the device.
At a developer conference hosted by the company, Vice President and Director of Telephone Research, Development and Manufacturing, Zeng Shudzong, unveiled the telescopic lens technology the company has reportedly been working on for several years. According to him, the removable lens not only allows optical zoom and a true bokeh effect, in contrast to the effect in modern devices based on a software algorithm, but also includes a large aperture that allows four times more effective light absorption than existing lenses, 20% higher brightness and improved image stabilization.
Shuadzong noted that the company expects to sum up 2020 with almost a fourfold increase in sales in the medium-high segment ($ 500-700), and slightly more than four times in the premium share (over $ 700). This is probably a hint that the company intends to introduce next year many more devices designed for these market segments and priced accordingly, in contrast to the situation so far, when it focused on devices that provide the maximum value that can be generated from as low a price as possible.
According to Digital Chat Station, this technology is just one of a series of innovations expected to hit the premium devices it plans to launch in 2021, alongside folding screens, in-screen cameras, 2K screens and fast charging at 200 watts.
However, it is worth remembering that past attempts to incorporate telescopic lenses in smartphones, which are supposed to go into the pocket and be as thin as possible and with as few parts as possible that may break from blows and falls, have failed to gain momentum. For example, Samsung has discontinued its Galaxy Camera series after only two generations.