Apple Turns to LG as Sony Falls Behind on Dual-Lens Camera Production for iPhone 7 Plus

[MacRumors]

Chris Chang of Nomura Securities has issued a note to investors claiming that Sony may be running behind schedule in terms of supplying Apple with dual-lens camera modules for the next-generation 5.5-inch iPhone, which rumors suggest may be called the iPhone 7 Plus or iPhone Pro.

We think Sony may not be able to deliver its full share of dual cameras to Apple due to: (1) lower-than-expected yield, and (2) damage to its production facility from the April earthquake in Kumamoto.

Chang believes that Apple will instead turn to LG as its primary supplier of dual-lens camera modules for the larger-sized iPhone expected to launch in September.

Both investment bank Nomura Securities and research firm Citi Research believe all 5.5-inch iPhones will be equipped with dual-lens camera modules, rather than just one model, echoing comments made by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this month.

Kuo previously said that Apple had two 5.5-inch versions of the iPhone 7 Plus in development, including one with a single iSight rear-facing camera and another boasting a dual-lens camera module, but he has since recanted. Meanwhile, the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 is widely expected to retain a single-lens camera.

Nomura Securities also believes that Apple will include optical image stabilization (OIS) on both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone, whereas the feature has been exclusive to the larger iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus over the past two generations.

Leaked images, components, and renders potentially offer a first look at Apple's dual-lens camera system, but rumors have been conflicting about the exact design.

The switch to dual-lens camera modules has been linked to Apple's acquisition of LinX Technology, which could lead to "DSLR-quality" photos on iPhones. LinX's multi-aperture cameras are also smaller sized than single-aperture cameras, meaning the iPhone 7 Plus could have a slightly less protruding camera lens.

LinX camera modules offer a number of other benefits, including 3D depth mapping, better color accuracy and uniformity, ultra HDR, low noise levels, higher resolution, low costs, zero shutter lag, and a compact design that allows for edge-to-edge displays. A recent video demo provides a good overview of dual-camera technology.

Apple recently patented a dual-camera system consisting of one standard wide-angle lens, similar to what is found in the latest iPhones, and a second telephoto lens capable of capturing zoomed-in video and photos. In a recent video, we visualized what the interface could look like on future iOS devices.

Dual-camera smartphones like the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus are expected to inspire "killer apps" from smartphone manufacturers and third-party developers.

Article Link: Apple Turns to LG as Sony Falls Behind on Dual-Lens Camera Production for iPhone 7 Plus

 

[JoEw]

I hope it doesn't look that ugly in final production.

 

[DocMultimedia]

No dual-camera on the 4.7 inch will cost Apple one sale. I can't handle a gargantuan iPhone in my pocket...but I really want a dual-camera. Guess I'll be waiting to see what the iPhone 8 brings.

 

[Tim Chef]

Ya, right, how long until the dual cameras on the iPhones brick the iPad Pros?

 

[a.gomez]

I hope it doesn't look that ugly in final production.

yep,... that is horrid.

 

[Dr.Chroma]

I do think LG is staring to make an impact again. They lagged behind for while and now they are starting to compete in the smart phone world, besides their Washing machines and refrigerators success.

 

[yadmonkey]

I hope it doesn't look that ugly in final production.

I guess that could explain the rumor about a single glass model - having an all black glass back might mitigate the ugly camera sticking out so much.

 

[dwaltwhit]

I realize that lotsa people take lotsa pictures with their phone, but thats not me. The fancy camera is not a deal maker for me, but I can see how it could be for many people. While on the topic of me, the form factor of the plus phones is just too big.

 

[doelcm82]

I realize that lotsa people take lotsa pictures with their phone, but thats not me. The fancy camera is not a deal maker for me, but I can see how it could be for many people. While on the topic of me, the form factor of the plus phones is just too big.

Yep. That's how it works. The fancy camera IS the deal maker for me, but by catering to me, they may leave you behind.

I like it better when they cater to me.

 

[Adithya007]

Still much more preference for the "Plus" model.

Oh wait.......The Pro Model, cos you know it can set your alarms seamlessly.....

 

[ksnell]

Getting sick of all this fragmentation. Hoping they don't go this route. Can we just get one really awesome iPhone model and call it a day?

This is a tech company, not a clothing company. Adding color and size options is just a distraction for stalled innovation.

 

[ovo6]

This iPhone better not be a fail

 

[keysofanxiety]

Yep. That's how it works. The fancy camera IS the deal maker for me, but by catering to me, they may leave you behind.

I like it better when they cater to me.

Buying a phone mainly for a camera is silly. Nobody wants a bad camera on their phone, but 'deal-breaker' is a bit extreme — it's not like they're terrible now.

I imagine if it's so important to you, you can't have used an iPhone earlier than the 4.

 

[igorsky]

Getting sick of all this fragmentation. Hoping they don't go this route. Can we just get one really awesome iPhone model and call it a day?

This is a tech company, not a clothing company. Adding color and size options is just a distraction for stalled innovation.

Or you can simply get the model that best suits your needs.

 

[macfoxpro]

Great, the last thing a drunk, nude selfie taking Kim Kardashian needs is a dual lens camera.

 

[coolfactor]

Nature perfected vision with TWO eyes spaced apart from each other. Not sure why our digital devices don't emulate that already by now. There should be two separate, single cameras on either side of the device, and then the images are combined digitally, just like the brain does. Am I wrong? Is it too technically difficult?

 

[biracialfamily91]

Getting sick of all this fragmentation. Hoping they don't go this route. Can we just get one really awesome iPhone model and call it a day?

This is a tech company, not a clothing company. Adding color and size options is just a distraction for stalled innovation.

I hope they have more than one model. I can't stand anything smaller than a 5.5 inch display. But I know some can't stand anything bigger than the SE. I want choices not everyone wants a one model fits all approach. But I do agree about fragmentation part. just make everything the same across the line except screen sizes.

 

[magicschoolbus]

I do think LG is staring to make an impact again. They lagged behind for while and now they are starting to compete in the smart phone world, besides their Washing machines and refrigerators success.

They make really great home appliances. I actually have purchased 2 LG air conditioners, one portable, one window. Both are surprisingly very quiet, never rattle, and get super cold.. couldn't be happier.

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

Getting sick of all this fragmentation. Hoping they don't go this route. Can we just get one really awesome iPhone model and call it a day?

This is a tech company, not a clothing company. Adding color and size options is just a distraction for stalled innovation.

I can't handle making choices... so let's eliminate everyone else's opportunity to have a choice.

 

[shanson27]

You boring me Apple!

 

[SMIDG3T]

Don't all get your hopes up for a flush dual-camera setup, it's not going to happen.

 

[keysofanxiety]

I can't handle making choices... so let's eliminate everyone else's opportunity to have a choice.

Yeah, because Apple would offer both options at the same price, and you could choose which one you prefer.

It's quite obvious that the poster meant make ONE spec of iPhone. Make it as best you can. Stop fragmenting with 'Pro' options and add-ons and differing feature. Different screen sizes, yes. Different specs — no.

 

[iThingsGurl]

2014: iPhone 5.5" gets OIS
2016: iPhone 5.5" gets Dual Cam, iPhone 4.7" gets OIS
2018: iPhone 4.7" gets Dual Cam?
Lol Cook sure has "exciting" things in the pipeline, only the pipeline is way too long.

 

[bigpics]

In the world of multi-lens/multi-sensor phone cams to come there are infinite possibilities for how things will play out and it's easy to get them confused, especially when even the tech writers throw mis-defined terms around so loosely.

The term "Optical Zoom," e.g., is the most misused in all of mobile photography. OPTICAL zoom changes the angle of view and the perspective/visual relationship between foreground and background objects as you move in or out by changing the focal length of the lens.

OTOH, "Digital Zooming," no matter how you cut it, is simply in-camera cropping, NOT true optical zoom. It may have been accomplished in some phone or other, but even so, virtually non-existent on cell cams to date - although external clip-on lenses CAN change the perspective (at the cost of some optical degredation).

Once we go to multiple lenses, here are two of the approaches used to date, and from the article/video, it looks like Apple might be going in a third.

1. The LG G5's two lens array combines a "normal" cell perspective lens and a super-wide angle lens, and doesn't blend the images at all - it's just two cams with different focal lengths (and different sensors, one 16MP and one 8MP), so gives you an "optical JUMP" between the two - each of which can be digitally zoomed, so not a smooth zoom across many focal lengths. However, in the interface, it does give the illusion of OZ by digitally zooming as much as one lens can and then jumping abruptly into using the other focal length.

2. The Huawei P9 dual lens module works on a different principle, which resembles the LAB color space in PhotoShop - and which sounds more like what I THOUGHT Apple seems to be up to until I read/watched the article.

In this system, both lenses are the same focal length, but one is used to gather only color (chrominance) information while the other is strictly B/W and gathers only light levels information (luminance) - so a very sharp, colorless rendering... ....and then the chroma and luminance data can be combined into a much sharper picture.

With two lenses shooting from slightly different angles, there are also a variety of interesting possibilities for recording and utilizing the stereoscopic (3D) data generated by the two lenses slightly different view of the image - including some beyond a 3D effect - which likely wouldn't be a primary result if the two lenses are gathering two different classes of data.

3. According to the demo video here, you also wouldn't be getting digital blending, rather the ability to shoot split-screen videos (or stills) at two focal lengths simultaneously - more like the LG G5 but without the "semi-fake OZ." To me this sounds like a waste of what could be done like the above two approaches.

For one thing, if both focal lengths are the same and used much like the principle behind multi-mirror telescopes, then inherently, gathering twice the light in the same exposure should result in much improved low light shots.

So I hope it's not as shown in the video, or at least that there will be considerably more to it THAN that....

 

[amegicfox]

The nasty back bump just got bigger. DISGUSTING. Jony Ive: the surface should be FLAT not with these nasty moles and warts. Let's hire another product designers may be from lamborghini or ferrari, Jony is out of control