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Here's why smartphones have multiple cameras

There’s a reason the iPhone XS Max, Huawei P20 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Note 9 have multiple cameras

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Here's why smartphones have multiple cameras
This article originally appeared on ABACUS
A Lenovo executive posted a simple picture to Weibo: Four camera lenses, arranged in a square.
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Yup, Lenovo seems to be hinting that they’re about to show off a phone with four cameras.

Lenovo is expected to announce new devices this month. (Picture: Lenovo)
Lenovo is expected to announce new devices this month. (Picture: Lenovo)
Of course, it’s worth remembering that Lenovo has overhyped products before. But unlike its PC in the shape of Star Trek’s USS Enterprise, a phone with four cameras isn’t a crazy idea.

Steve Jobs reportedly didn’t even want a camera on the first iPhone. But not only do we expect every smartphone to have a camera now, we also have a very high standard for the pictures they take: Sharper, brighter, more colorful, more details in low-light, and all at the tap of a button.

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But handset makers can’t just bolt on a huge DSLR lens. They still have to keep phones small and thin enough to slip into a pocket. How do you improve on a phone’s camera without making it significantly bigger?

Yup, more cameras.

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