For weeks, there have been rumors that this year’s iPhone 7 Plus would feature dual-camera systems. Rumors gained some credibility when the world’s most respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities said last month that the company was working to launch a special version of iPhone 7 Plus with the dual-camera system. Kuo added that this special variant will be in short supply initially.
Sony is Apple’s main supplier of camera sensors
Now Sony’s chief financial officer Kenichiro Yoshida says smartphones with dual-cameras will actually take off in 2017. During the company’s Q3 2015 earnings call, Yoshida told investors that the Japanese company was making dual-cameras for “major smartphone players.” Though he did not reveal the name of the companies, Sony is the main supplier of camera sensors to Apple.
Yoshida’s statement adds weight to reports that Apple was testing iPhone 7 models with dual cameras. The iPhone maker may tap into technology from LinX, an Israeli startup it acquired last year, to bring dual cameras to the next-gen iPhones. LinX may also help Apple get rid of the protruding camera lens without affecting the picture quality. However, Yoshida said demand for high-end smartphones was slowing down, which may affect the demand or production schedule of dual-camera smartphones.
Dual-cameras in iPhone 7 Plus may trigger massive upgrades
The dual-camera system in the next iPhone could give customers a good reason to upgrade. This technology may boost image quality to match DSLR cameras, and offer better quality pictures in low-light conditions. Other improvements could include the optical zoom. Digitimes reports that several suppliers are sending dual-lens camera samples to the Cupertino company for testing. Though Taiwan-based Largan Technology is a major supplier of Apple’s smartphone cameras, Apple is seeking dual-lens cameras from other suppliers as well to lower risks.
The iPhone 7 is expected to be waterproof and dustproof. Recent rumors suggest that the upcoming smartphone will get rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack, forcing customers to use Bluetooth or Lightning-compatible headphones. Removing headphone jack will also make it the slimmest iPhone ever.
