Rumored iPhone 7 Dual-Camera System Becomes Reality, See How it Works

Last January, well before the official release of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, rumors began circulating the web that the new phones would feature a dual-camera system capable of true optical zoom, improved low-light performance, and the ability to capture HDR images.

Last April, the rumors gained new footing, as Apple purchased Israeli company LinX Imaging, a company that specialized in mobile camera technology. Although the 6s and 6s Plus obviously didn’t incorporate the technology, that didn’t stop the rumors from coming back again full force last month.

Famed KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the upcoming iPhone 7 Plus would likely see the integration of a dual-lens camera system. Several weeks ago, DigiTimes reported that the dual camera system is in testing, with samples coming from various suppliers in Japan and China.

This is all very exciting news for iPhone owners – but what exactly would a dual lens system look like? What would it accomplish? A recent video posted by CNET took a look at technology developed by Isreali-based company Corephotonics, somewhat ironically a competitor to the recently purchased LinX Imaging, demonstrating how it works and why it’s superior to most camera systems employed in mobile devices today.

The video shows off a surprisingly small dual-lens camera setup developed by Corephotonics. According to the video, both camera sensors bring in light from the subject of the photo, and use a complicated software algorithm to combine the two photos into one photo with increased clarity. The dual-lens system can produce true optical zoom for a smartphone with no moving parts.

The video continues with a demonstration, comparing the optical zoom from the dual-lens system to the digital zoom photo taken by a single lens. The difference is clear – the dual-lens system offers incredible clarity when compared to the single lens photo. CNET then performs a similar test, comparing a photo taken from the dual-lens camera to a photo taken from an iPhone 6s, with similar results – the dual-lens photo is far superior. The video ends showing off the image stabilization capability of the dual-lens system which is also quite impressive.

According to CNET, “we can expect to see this technology in actual smartphones available to buy some time this year.” While the iPhone 7 Plus obviously wasn’t mentioned by name, we can hope that the proliferation of rumors surrounding the dual-camera technology in the phone are true. Assuming Apple holds true to their usual release schedule, we will likely see the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in mid September.

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[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]