Sony and Xiaomi are both partnering with Light toward the production of smartphones with multiple cameras.
Light, for the uninitiated, makes cameras with multiple lenses for various uses, such as selective autofocus during post-processing.
While years ago, the idea of multi-camera phones seemed ridiculous, it's now increasingly commonplace. Flagship smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S10, are bumping their cameras up to three and sometimes even four on a single device. Multi-camera arrays are the way forward, and consumers can expect more of this soon as Sony and Xiaomi work with Light.
Light Strikes Partnership With Sony, Xiaomi
The partnerships, it's worth noting, are not joint. Sony, specifically, is working with Light to incorporate its multi-camera array with Sony's image processing system. The goal is to make apps that could take advantage of this integration. Light promises to help Sony phones fit four or more cameras in its upcoming lineup.
DSLR Phone
Xiaomi's partnership is a little less clear, on the other hand. Precious little detail is available, with the companies only noting that they're working together to make smartphones that can take photos on par with DSLRs. How it's going to achieve such a feat remains to be explained, but the notion is nonetheless exciting.
Still, though, Xiaomi's phones remain largely unavailable in the United States, which renders its partnership with Light less thrilling for statewide folks. If they do manage to make a smartphone that takes DSLR-level photos, it's probably not going to hit U.S. shores. Things, however, can always change. Perhaps by the time that happens Xiaomi will have found a way to penetrate the U.S. market.
Light
Light most recently made waves with the just-announced Nokia 9, which features five cameras. It appears from here on out Light is going to have a more significant presence in the smartphone industry. Light could be one of the primary partners for a lot of upcoming phones, especially as multi-camera arrays become more widely adopted.
Even still, the hardware is just one component. As usual, the challenge is to create software that will make the most out of the lenses. Which is all to say that Light's partnership with Sony is particularly exciting in this regard, especially given that Sony's image processing system is one of the best in the business.
Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more about what these companies are up to.
