Oppo is working on a removable camera for smartphones
The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo is developing a removable camera that you can also use for selfies. This would make a camera hole in the screen unnecessary, but there are even more advantages imaginable.
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‘Oppo comes with a removable camera’
Oppo has filed a patent for a removable camera. Or rather multiple cameras. It is a module with different lenses that is clicked into the back of your smartphone as standard. Do you want to take a selfie? Then you remove the module and connect it to the USB-C port of your phone. That way you can of course also make video calls or participate in a Zoom meeting.
The camera module has its own battery and has nfc, wifi and bluetooth. This means that you can also take photos when the cameras are not attached to your smartphone. A little photographer immediately sees possibilities. For example, you can use the module to photograph flowers low to the ground. You put the cameras in the grass and you can stand upright to assess the image and take the snapshot. That saves dirty knees.
Another advantage, at least in theory, is that you can replace the camera module with a new one. If you are still satisfied with your smartphone, but would like better cameras, just order another one. This is of course only possible if Oppo chooses to sell the modules separately.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages. The module is small and you can easily lose it. Moreover, the question is whether people want to keep the cameras in and out of their smartphones. LG introduced various modules for the LG G5 in 2016. For example, you could add a physical shutter button to the device and an audio converter that improved the sound. That system was not a success.
How do we get rid of the camera hole?
Oppo’s removable camera seems mainly intended to get rid of the selfie hole in the screen. Many techniques have been developed for this in recent years. Asus opts for a flip camera on the Zenfone 7 (Pro), OnePlus supplied the OnePlus 7 Pro with a pop-up camera. ZTE released the Axon 20 5G in September. According to the Chinese manufacturer, that is the first smartphone with a selfie camera behind the screen. You don’t like it, but you can take pictures with it.
It is not yet known whether and when Oppo will actually put the removable camera in a smartphone. Do you want to stay informed about this technique and other fun Android news? Sign up for our newsletter and download the free Android Planet app.
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