Huawei Introduces Dual Camera Smartphone with Refocusing and Improved Low Light Performance

[Michael Scrip]

• One of the Chinese companies beats Apple to the punch. 2 phone models with 2 cameras.
• Apple will release 1 model half a year later.

As a loyal Apple user this makes me sad.

You seem to be privy to some competition involving a release calendar that I am unaware of.

If the iPhone with dual-cameras is absolute garbage in six months... then you'll have a point.

But I think it's a bit too early to be sad.

BTW... I don't know why you're giving Huawei so much credit here. There were other smartphones with dual-cameras years ago. But they were forgotten almost instantly. I wonder why.

If you want to reset the clock... and say that April 6, 2016 is when the dual-camera era REALLY started... sure.

But again... it's too early to make any kind of judgement unless you're strictly talking about the calendar.

Also... don't get too wrapped up in the fact that Huawei makes 2 smartphones with dual-cameras. This is a company who has 35 different models currently on the market... and countless more still in the retail channel. They'll sell anything and everything. Not much focus.

Don't be sad. I also like iPhones and will be getting the iPhone with dual-cameras in the future.

I like iOS... so this Huawei phone running Android doesn't interest me in the least.

 

[Blaze4G]

Oh no. Another Android martyr.

Show me a flagship Gold smartphone that came out before the 5s?
Or Rose Gold?

Android is free to pick the exact same colors as iPhones but it just reinforces the idea that all they do is copy Apple. And looking at the posts here that is exactly how people feel.

Motorola Razr

Nokia 8800

Note 3

There was also this touchscreen all gold Samsung phone. Came with a Stylus, this was before Android and was definitely a flagship.I think it ran windows or some other OS. This was in 2006-2007. Cant remember the name unfortunately.

Funny how you think Apple made the first gold phone when the Razr was so popular.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Anyone can think of amazing ideas.
Anyone can build a crude and impractical product using those ideas.
The real innovators have the vision to make those ideas work.

There were fingerprint sensors on phones before TouchID. They all were crap.
Same with 3D touch. Crap. Same with this 2 camera phone.

Don't confuse thinking of some idea first as revolutionary.
What is revolutionary is making that idea WORK in the real world.

Golf clap.

 

[hiddenmarkov]

The real story: let's slap a Leica brand and sell something for a premium.

this really. Its not like Leica went all out for this. They obviously aren't going to cut into their lines with this. For good reason.

Seen this done with Zeiss as well. Some have slapped Zeiss technology inside for lens' on webcams. Zeiss' premium offerings they are not lol. Hell even though sibling companies with Zeiss under Cosina, Cosina makes sure Voigtlander is not the really cheap version of Zeiss. I like voigtlander, even own a lens from them. Zeiss they are not though. Which is cool...one I have is a very small light pancake lens. What drew me to it.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Rumor has it Apple is working on dual-cameras already.

Apple didn't get the idea from Huawei's press release

Rumor has it they ALL got the idea pushed to them as Sony makes these
So what really is your point he said she said I want it or got it first?

Gads ppl ... you're all sound like children fighting in the sand box. It's time we all start to grow up over these lame arguments - mine was to show you just how much more another can find out to prove another wrong over some garbage: point being it's all garbage you/me etc.

More importantly .... how much Android has improved both functionally, speed through the layered-branded UI vs iOS for day to day enjoyment of ALL features?

 

[Swordylove]

"The eye... a miracle of evolution"? Yeah 'evolution' is such the Genius.

 

[Speedy Dingo]

This may sound stupid, but Apple leaks and rumours sorta have to stop imo. (I know it won't happen, but you know...) Once a source talks to someone and it gets published online that Apple might be potentially doing this and that on their next phone, all the me-too companies quickly implement it, even if it's rush job, onto a product to beat them to the market to steal some of that thunder from Apple. Plus it doesn't leave us with surprises for announcements any more. Maybe one day Tim Cook will come through with his so-called "doubling down on secrecy on products" promise.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Rumor has it they ALL got the idea pushed to them as Sony makes these
So what really is your point he said she said I want it or got it first?

Gads ppl ... you're all sound like children fighting in the sand box. It's time we all start to grow up over these lame arguments - mine was to show you just how much more another can find out to prove another wrong over some garbage: point being it's all garbage you/me etc.

More importantly .... how much Android has improved both functionally, speed through the layered-branded UI vs iOS for day to day enjoyment of ALL features?

My point... if you had seen what I was replying to... was addressing the "Cupertino... start your photocopiers" comment from earlier.

I will say it again... Apple is not "copying" Huawei. Apple already has dual-cameras in the lab. They didn't find out about them today.

Apple also bought LinX Imaging... a company who makes camera technology... about a year ago. Long before we saw these Huawei smartphones today.

 

[Forsyth Analytics]

1.25-micron pixel size is described as "superior low light performance"?
Anything under a 4.0-micron pixel size shouldn't be descibed as "superior".

 

[organic bond]

People here concentrate on colors because don't have much else to say and are not honest enough to admit this is a great product. People mention iOS, but forget that that the Apple's camera software is primitive at best. I have a Nokia 925, which is more than *two* years old, and its software is still much better than Apple's. The article says that this Huawei's camera software is really pro, how about that? Not to mention better sensors and battery life. And about Android, I've just bought a Samsung J1 Mini for about $90, it's got LTE and dual SIM, it works great, and to my surprise I've found Android to be much better than it was years ago. I've been using Apple computers since 1981, so don't tell I'm a troll.

 

[Gameboy70]

WOW, looks like they pretty much stole Apple's colour pallet.

There's nothing proprietary about color pallets. Color trends are diligently researched by many manufacturers and product designers, and it's common for them to form consensus on next year's In colors this year (hence the phase "the new black"). Walk into any department store, and notice how few colors on display clash, despite are large variety of product types and brands. This blog post from the end of last year, for instance, cited "industrial pastels" as a key trend, and the rage for pastels this year is just as strong in apparel. It's not like Apple developed its color scheme in a vacuum.

 

[Analog Kid]

1.25-micron pixel size is described as "superior low light performance"?
Anything under a 4.0-micron pixel size shouldn't be descibed as "superior".

Why are we measuring low light performance in meters?

 

[Mactendo]

You seem to be privy to some competition involving a release calendar that I am unaware of.

If the iPhone with dual-cameras is absolute garbage in six months... then you'll have a point.

But I think it's a bit too early to be sad.

BTW... I don't know why you're giving Huawei so much credit here. There were other smartphones with dual-cameras years ago. But they were forgotten almost instantly. I wonder why.

If you want to reset the clock... and say that April 6, 2016 is when the dual-camera era REALLY started... sure.

But again... it's too early to make any kind of judgement unless you're strictly talking about the calendar.

Also... don't get too wrapped up in the fact that Huawei makes 2 smartphones with dual-cameras. This is a company who has 35 different models currently on the market... and countless more still in the retail channel. They'll sell anything and everything. Not much focus.

Don't be sad. I also like iPhones and will be getting the iPhone with dual-cameras in the future.

I like iOS... so this Huawei phone running Android doesn't interest me in the least.

I don't know what to comment here exactly, but the point was that obviously dual cameras systems are becoming a mainstream from now on. And while Apple will be playing their favorite game of hardware crippling "oh, we're reserving that feature for the most expensive iPhone Plus Mega Pro and maybe we'll rollout it to other models in 3-4 years" other manufacturers will make leaps leaving Apple behind. If Huawei could make something so quickly and looking decent then others like Samsung, HTC, Xiaomi or whoever is the king in China tonight will make it even better and pretty soon.

Huawei needed just a few months since the rumors of Apple using two cameras in their phones to come up with something real. And I'm sure that insider info was the key factor behind those phones. Apple will release it (and again a single model of iPhone Pro) this autumn. It has to move faster. Once they switched to yearly upgrades of OS now they probably need to do the same for iPhones. It's impossible for Apple to keep new features/product secret anymore and be ahead of competition. So if they can't keep it secret then at least they should release it faster.

 

[AdonisSMU]

People here concentrate on colors because don't have much else to say and are not honest enough to admit this is a great product. People mention iOS, but forget that that the Apple's camera software is primitive at best. I have a Nokia 925, which is more than *two* years old, and its software is still much better than Apple's. The article says that this Huawei's camera software is really pro, how about that? Not to mention better sensors and battery life. And about Android, I've just bought a Samsung J1 Mini for about $90, it's got LTE and dual SIM, it works great, and to my surprise I've found Android to be much better than it was years ago. I've been using Apple computers since 1981, so don't tell I'm a troll.

People focus on the looks because they don't own the phone yet. It's not just the color. It looks just like an iPhone with slight moderations and now we hear that they basically rushed in technology that Apple has been rumored to implement in the 2016 version of the iPhone for the last year and even acquired the company who was a pioneer in the space. I mean c'mon... :/

 

[Flight Plan]

Okay, I usually come here for intelligence, but each and every one of you has missed the most obvious thing.

Arguing about colors, camera bumps, and other silly and meaningless stuff; that's all expected to some extent. But you should all be ashamed for not eventually getting this little tidbit:

The article mentions that this these dual-camera units are going to use (ahem) lasers to focus the cameras.

Lasers, really? REALLY?

I'll say it again. LASERS! Nobody else noticed this. I can understand that you all want to say your bit about colors, even if it does approach the single minded talkativeness of a three-year-old who just discovered "Burnt Sienna". But why didn't you at least notice this even three hours after you got in your your comments (and more than a few snippy retorts) about colors and intellectual property?

Lasers for focusing camera lenses, from a made in China phone manufacturer. Oh, that's nothing to worry about; I'm just p-o'd about Rose Gold.

5 demerits for the lot of you!

 

[AdonisSMU]

I don't know what to comment here exactly, but the point was that obviously dual cameras systems are becoming a mainstream from now on. And while Apple will be playing their favorite game of hardware crippling "oh, we're reserving that feature for the most expensive iPhone Plus Mega Pro and maybe we'll rollout it to other models in 3-4 years" other manufacturers will make leaps leaving Apple behind. If Huawei could make something so quickly and looking decent then others like Samsung, HTC, Xiaomi or whoever is the king in China tonight will make it even better and pretty soon.

Huawei needed just a few months since the rumors of Apple using two cameras in their phones to come up with something real. And I'm sure that insider info was the key factor behind those phones. Apple will release it (and again a single model of iPhone Pro) in 2017. It has to move faster. Once they switched to yearly upgrades of OS now they probably need to do the same for iPhones. It's impossible for Apple to keep new features/product secret anymore and be ahead of competition. So if they can't keep it secret then at least they should release it faster.

Ummm I don't know if you know this but Apple already does yearly upgrades to their phones. If they did 6 month upgrades to their phones like the others people would be angry.

 

[CE3]

You mean iPhone 7 Plus camera.

Or, will it now be the iPhone 7 Pro..

 

[Mactendo]

Ummm I don't know if you know this but Apple already does yearly upgrades to their phones. If they did 6 month upgrades to their phones like the others people would be angry.

I mean real full updates, not S models. They already started adding features to S models, now they have to not artifically delay something when they can do it, but just do it.
Move on full steam.

 

[AdonisSMU]

I mean real full updates, not S models. They already started adding features to S models, now they have to not artifically delay something when they can do it, but just do it.
Move on full steam.

So you are working under the assumption that Apple is artificially holding back features from users... you tin foil users think creating good hardware and software is magic....or that you can just integrate a company into your own overnight is was the case with the dual camera technology. Lets read the reviews and see the real world use first before we start claiming Apple isn't trying to give us everything. Taking on new features without making the old ones solid is a recipe for disaster down the line.

 

[RockSpider]

This may sound stupid, but Apple leaks and rumours sorta have to stop imo. (I know it won't happen, but you know...) Once a source talks to someone and it gets published online that Apple might be potentially doing this and that on their next phone, all the me-too companies quickly implement it, even if it's rush job, onto a product to beat them to the market to steal some of that thunder from Apple. Plus it doesn't leave us with surprises for announcements any more. Maybe one day Tim Cook will come through with his so-called "doubling down on secrecy on products" promise.

You're right it does sound stupid, its Apple that is doing all the copying, they're at least two years behind.

 

[Mactendo]

So you are working under the assumption that Apple is artificially holding back features from users... you tin foil users think creating good hardware and software is magic....or that you can just integrate a company into your own overnight is was the case with the dual camera technology. Lets read the reviews and see the real world use first before we start claiming Apple isn't trying to give us everything. Taking on new features without making the old ones solid is a recipe for disaster down the line.

Read what was written above, "tin foil user". When a feature is being added to one model only, that's artifical holding back.
If Huawei can do it then Apple can do it too.

 

[RockSpider]

Motorola Razr

Nokia 8800

Note 3

There was also this touchscreen all gold Samsung phone. Came with a Stylus, this was before Android and was definitely a flagship.I think it ran windows or some other OS. This was in 2006-2007. Cant remember the name unfortunately.

Funny how you think Apple made the first gold phone when the Razr was so popular.

Ahh the Razr one of my favourite phones of all time, until it went through the washing machine. To make a long story short, I pulled it out of a drawer two years later, and it worked like a charm, even though it was completely filled up with water and clunked around in the washing machine.

Apple people think Apple invented everything, even the wheel, you know round corners.

 

[spittt]

Great! Now all your pics can be sent in 3D to the Chinese security agencies.

 

[Blaze4G]

Ahh the Razr one of my favourite phones of all time, until it went through the washing machine. To make a long story short, I pulled it out of a drawer two years later, and it worked like a charm, even though it was completely filled up with water and clunked around in the washing machine.

Apple people think Apple invented everything, even the wheel, you know round corners.

haha! Yeah I remembered mine (blue). I had it on the night stand at a hotel with one of those split unit air condition. Water dripped directly onto the phone all night while I slept. Was in a boot loop for 3 days until it finally worked.

I don't see what the big deal is with copying as long as it is not a direct rip off (iphone clones). If companies didn't copy, BMW, Mercedes and Audi would still be offering A/C as an option instead of standard. It became standard when Lexus made it standard on all models.

 

[Tomasulu]

Anyone can think of amazing ideas.
Anyone can build a crude and impractical product using those ideas.
The real innovators have the vision to make those ideas work.

There were fingerprint sensors on phones before TouchID. They all were crap.
Same with 3D touch. Crap. Same with this 2 camera phone.

Don't confuse thinking of some idea first as revolutionary.
What is revolutionary is making that idea WORK in the real world.

Big apple fan here and obviously I see your point. But it's frustrating when apple takes its time (drags its heels kicking and screaming) implementing what's so obvious. Like larger screen. Or stylus. Or borderless lcd. I think apple can get so besotted by its own philosophy on craftsmanship and design that it missed out on good ideas (they don't just come from Apple), progress and changing preferences. And yes outside of a half hearted attempt on Mac Pro and a watch... And secret project of a me too ecar Apple hasn't innovated much since iPad.