It was inevitable that Samsung was going to make the switch from “Plus” to “Pro.” Even if there was a “Live” in between. The company has filed the necessary regulatory paperwork with the FCC for its next set of true wireless earbuds. It was already rumored that these would be called the Galaxy Buds Pro, and now it’s right there in documentation directly from Samsung itself.
The FCC filing comes with the usual confidentiality protocols in place, so it doesn’t reveal too much more about the Buds Pro. But an image of the regulatory label offers a preview of the charging case’s shape. It seems the Buds Pro will be housed in a case that more closely resembles the case from the Galaxy Buds Live than the Galaxy Buds Plus.
Samsung’s FCC filing clearly describes these as the “Buds Pro.”Image: FCC
The Galaxy Buds Pro are expected to include active noise cancellation — and presumably, it’ll be a much more effective version than what’s found in the open-ear Galaxy Buds Live. According to SamMobile, the overall design will be similar to the Galaxy Buds Plus, and Samsung’s new “Pro” earbuds are likely to launch alongside the Galaxy S21 in 2021.
If you don’t feel like waiting, both the Galaxy Buds Plus and Galaxy Buds Live (along with many other wireless earbuds) have been heavily discounted during Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions. You can keep up with the deals here.
The Galaxy Buds Plus are a successor to the Galaxy Buds. The biggest change from this model is that the battery life is nearly doubled compared to the Galaxy Buds.
December 01, 2020 at 12:52AM
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Samsung’s next wireless earbuds are the ‘Galaxy Buds Pro,’ according to FCC filing - The Verge
Samsung may have announced the Galaxy S20 and S20+ near the start of the year, but they’re still among the best Android phones you can buy at the moment. We gave the phones scores of 87 and 85, praising them for their vibrant and fluid 120Hz QHD displays, long-lasting batteries and versatile cameras. With their high-end Snapdragon 865 processors and ample 8GB of RAM, both handsets won’t leave you wanting for a faster phone either. The only issue we had with them was their inconsistent autofocus, but Samsung has since addressed that problem with a software update.
If you prefer the size of the smaller S20, don’t feel like you’re missing out if you don’t go for the more expensive S20+. The former does make some tradeoffs, but they’re mostly minor ones. The S20+ technically has the better rear camera system with the extra inclusion of a time-of-flight sensor. In theory, the component is supposed to help the S20+ render a more realistic background blur when taking a photo in portrait mode. But in practice we didn’t see a noticeable difference between the portrait mode shots we took with the two phones. The S20 also comes with a smaller 4,000mAh battery and doesn’t have the necessary antennas to take advantage of mmWave connectivity. Again, you’re not missing much since mmWave spots are few and far between at the moment. Either way, if you end up picking up the S20 or S20+, you’ll have a capable smartphone for years to come.
While iPhone 12 may currently rule the roost and all the talk is of folding phones – both existing ones, which nobody is really buying, but there is a buzz – and potential 2021 foldable phone designs. However, there is another way. Like a further development of its old Galaxy Edge line, Samsung is said to be lining up a Samsung Galaxy phone with a completely surround display. It might even turn out to be the Samsung Galaxy S21.
Devices with this kind of surround display boast a screen that wraps around the chassis, essentially transforming its exterior into a single panel, and Samsung's design is the most advanced we've seen yet. Xiaomi's stunning Mi Mix Alpha attempted to pull off a similar feat, but the display is interrupted by a sliver of housing on one side. In Samsung’s case, the screen is meant to flow all the way around the edges.
LetsGoDigital spotted the patent – published at the end of October – which offers 70 pages of details for Samsung's impressive design.
Samsung’s design is seamless, thanks to transparent housing, which harks back to a patent the company filed in January for a a completely transparent smartphone. There's no visible frame, and no camera notch – the handset utilises the under-display camera that Samsung has been working on and is rumored to debut in the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
It won’t have a flash, but will allow for video calls, and other such functions. Additionally, this camera will constantly detect its surroundings in order to establish which parts of the surround display to activate at any given time. For instance, if you place the phone face-down on the table, the camera will know to activate the rear surface.
This tech applies to the 'front-facing' camera but Samsung has adopted a novel solution for the camera on the reverse. The patent described a sliding form factor that reveals a secondary camera array.
Samsung is also challenging competitors like Oppo and LG, who are developing rollable smartphones – like the Oppo x 2021 – with a rollable handset of its own with the Galaxy Scroll.
In the meantime, you can grab a great deal on the more conventional Galaxy S20 or take a look at our Cyber Monday deals.
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Here’s our review of all the latest Verizon deals for Cyber Monday 2020, featuring the best sales on Pixel 4a, Galaxy S10, iPhone 11 & more. Find the full range of deals by clicking the links below.
Best Verizon iPhone Deals:
Best Verizon Android Phone Deals:
Best Verizon Smartwatch, Tablet & Headphones Deals:
Along with the rest of 2020, it’s been a wild and unpredictable year for smartphones. Samsung started the year by shipping its most expensive phone ever and finished with one of its best bargains. Google dropped its flagship Pixel to the mid-range and delivered its best design ever, while a OnePlus phone topped a grand for the first time. Apple shipped its smallest phone since the iPhone 5. And everything came with 5G on board.
Which phone emerged from the chaos as the champion of 2020?
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is Samsung’s best phone to date even if it has a slightly inferior camera and smaller battery than the S20 Ultra.
OnePlus 8 Pro: OnePlus went all out on its phones this year, attacking both the high end and the low end with more models than ever before. Even with the 8T arriving months later, the 8 Pro is my pick of the litter, especially at its newly reduced price tag.
Google Pixel 5: Google did an about-face with its smartphones this year, but the Pixel 5 is still among the best Android phone, thanks to Android 11.
iPhone 12: You can make an argument that the $999 iPhone 12 Pro is worth the extra money, but unless you’re taking a lot of zoomed shots, the iPhone 12 is the sweet spot.
Note: The Android phones here represent the best in North America. That means Huawei, which continues to innovate with its camera and speed, and Xiaomi, which had an impressive entry with the Mi 10 Ultra, are out of the running.
iPhone vs Android: Design
The phones here might not fold or swivel, but that doesn’t mean they don’t each have their own unique identities. Their respective wheels most certainly haven’t been reinvented, but each phone has enough little touches to both separate it from the others and raise it above the rest of the pack.
Michael Simon/IDG
The iPhone 12, far left, has a gorgeous design.
First, let’s look at the size and screen proportions.
Dimensions (listed from largest to smallest) Note 20 Ultra: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm OnePlus 8 Pro: 165.3 x 74.3 x 8.5mm iPhone 12: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm Pixel 5: 144.7 x 70.4 x 8.0mm
Screen to body ratio (listed from highest to lowest) Note 20 Ultra: 91.63% OnePlus 8 Pro: 90.79% iPhone 12: 87.45% Pixel 5: 86.75%
The Note 20 Ultra is unmistakably Samsung, with a giant curved Infinity display, hole-punch selfie cam, and very skinny bezels above and below the screen. Like previous Notes, it has a very squared-off aesthetic that makes it seem much taller than it is, while the camera bump in the left corner is quite a bit large and way more bulbous than the other phones here.
Michael Simon/IDG
The Note 20 Ultra looks pretty in Mystic Bronze.
The best color is the new matte Mystic Bronze that’s a cross between gold and rose gold. But you’ll probably want to put it in a case. For one it’s it’s made entirely of glass, and for another, its size makes it tricky to hold even with two hands. The squared corners, flat bottom, and camera bump look good, but they combine to create a very awkward and clumsy grip. It’s also extremely heavy compared to the other phones here.
Weight (listed from heaviest to lightest) Note 20 Ultra: 208g OnePlus 8 Pro: 199g iPhone 12: 164g Pixel 5: 151g
The Pixel 5 isn’t just the lightest in this group, it’s also one of the nicest. Google did a great job with its latest Pixel phone, delivering the first design that doesn’t have enormous bezels. In fact, it’s the only Android phone that I’m aware of that has universal bezels all around, giving the Pixel 5 a balanced, symmetrical aesthetic similar to the iPhone 12.
Michael Simon/IDG
The Google Pixel 5 has another offbeat color: Sorta Sage.
Otherwise, it’s very much a Pixel. The silhouette is the same as it’s been since the original model, and the square camera array is very much cribbed from the Pixel 4. With very little bezel, the selfie cam is in the left-hand corner of the screen and mostly tucked out of sight.
The Pixel 5 is the only phone here that isn’t made of glass, but it’s not quite aluminum either. The back is covered in a plastic bio-resin that gives the phone a strange texture and a less-than-premium feel. The Sorta Sage color is nice though and the chrome-wrapped power bottom is a nice touch.
The OnePlus 8 Pro is probably the least recognizable of the group, but that’s not to say it’s a plain or boring phone. It has a fantastic curved display and is the only phone in this bunch that doesn’t have a distractingly large camera array. The corners of the display perfectly match the phone’s shape, and the bezels above and below the screen are extremely skinny, giving it a near edge-to-edge aesthetic that feels great to hold.
Michael Simon/IDG
The OnePlus 8 Pro Ultramarine Blue color is a beauty in its own right.
The back is made of glass but it’s frosted so it doesn’t pick up fingerprints as easily as the Note 20 and iPhone 12. The two new colors, Glacial Green (8GB RAM) and Ultramarine Blue (12GB RAM), wrap around the sides of the display and look fantastic.
At first glance, the iPhone 12 looks a lot like the iPhone 11 it replaces, but the subtle changes Apple has made are meaningful. The most obvious is the bezel size. On the iPhone 11, bezels were quite large at 5.57mm all around, but on the iPhone 12, they’re just 3.47mm. The iPhone 12 is also thinner and lighter than the iPhone 11, and since Apple has returned to a “flat” design for the sides and the screen, the phone has an aesthetic that looks and feels even smaller than it is.
Michael Simon/IDG
You don’t even need to snap a pic to see that the Note 20 Ultra’s camera array is more powerful than the iPhone 12’s.
It’s also a lot lighter than the other all-glass phones here. Granted, it has a smaller screen than the Note 20 and OnePlus 8 Pro, but the difference in both weight and distribution is palpable when you’re holding it. By contrast, the Note 20 is very top heavy and while the Pixel 5 is significantly lighter, feeling less like a premium phone and more like a plastic budget one. The iPhone 12 strikes a nice balance between balance and build quality.
The rather large notch remains as does the attention-grabbing camera array, but the iPhone 12’s overall design is the nicest Apple has produced in years. It’s solid, symmetrical, and stylish, and easily stands out in a crowded field of rounded rectangles. As phones become homogenous with giant screens and cameras, Apple continues to find a way to lead the way with smart iterations and character.
Our pick: iPhone 12
iPhone vs Android: Display
Premium smartphone displays have reached the point where they basically all get A+ ratings from DisplayMate, so no matter which phone you get, you’re getting one of the best displays ever made.
Michael Simon/IDG
The phones here have different sized screens but all of them are stunning.
Before we get into size, brightness, and and pixel density, the main difference between the Android phones and the iPhone 12 is display speed. While the iPhone 12 is stuck at 60Hz, the Pixel 5 operates at 90Hz, and the Note 20 Ultra and 8 Pro have 120Hz refresh rates. Higher refresh rates mean scrolling should be faster and gaming and videos smoother on those phones, especially when you switch between 60Hz and 120Hz on the Note 20 Ultra and OnePlus 8T. But Apple does such a tremendous job with its display calibration and OS optimization that the iPhone 12 doesn’t feel noticeably slower than the 120Hz phones.
The same goes for the resolution. The iPhone 12 and the Pixel 5 both have Full HD+ 1080p displays while the Note 20 Ultra and OnePlus 8 Pro have Quad HD+ 1440p displays. (One caveat, however: you need to lower the Note 20 Ultra’s resolution to 1080p to use the 120Hz refresh rate.) The difference is negligible. While the Pixel 5 has separate issues with color saturation and brightness, both displays are as crisp and pixel-dense as the QHD displays, and the iPhone 5 is every bit as rich and vibrant. If I didn’t see the spec sheet, I’d never know the iPhone 12 has fewer pixels.
Apple might not have changed the resolution for its “Super Retina XDR display,” but it did add a small change that elevates it even further above the other phones here. Apple calls it Ceramic Shield and it’s designed to keep your phone’s screen from cracks when dropped from a high distance. I thankfully didn’t have a chance to test that, but after a month of use without a screen protector, I couldn’t see any micro scratches on my phone’s screen like on other phones, including the most recent iPhones.
While all of the phones here fall into the “large” category, there’s nearly an inch between the smallest and the largest. That might not seem like much on paper, but it makes a huge difference when using them.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra isn’t just the biggest among the phones here, it’s one of the nicest displays I’ve ever used. Colors are vibrant without being too saturated, photos are rich and bright (with a peak that touched 1,600 nits), and videos are dynamic and smooth. It’s hard to find a complaint, except perhaps it’s a bit too big.
Michael Simon/IDG
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (left) has a stunning 120Hz display.
The said, the OnePlus 8 Pro isn’t all that smaller than the Note 20 and it, too, is visually stunning. Like the Note 20, the sides are curved, and its Quad HD+ 3168 x 1440 is bright and vivid. It’s bright and crisp, but I found the white balance to be a bit off at times and I noticed a slight purple tint when compared to the other displays.
And as I said above, the iPhone 12’s display is remarkable as well. But for speed, clarity, brightness, and depth, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra stands alone. Even with 1080p resolution, Apple is very close to the Note 20 Ultra, and if the iPhone 13 gains a 120Hz ProMotion display as rumored, it will more than likely catch up.
Our pick: Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Next page: Performance, battery life, and OS comparisons
November 30, 2020 at 07:00PM
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iPhone 12 vs Android’s best: It’s time to consider switching phones - Macworld
Having already covered Apple’s new A14 architecture in-depth in our coverage of the M1, it’s time to fill in the missing pieces for the actual new generation of iPhones.
The new iPhone 12 generation of devices mark a new design restart for Apple, moving away from the design that had been started with the iPhone X in late 2017. Re-gaining the flat side-frame look that was originally found in past iPhone generations of the 4, 4S, 5 & 5S series, Apple is making the old new again.
The new iPhone 12 series is also Apple’s widest range release ever, with a total of four new iPhones: the iPhone 12 mini, a new compact form-factor at the lower range, the iPhone 12, the “standard” iPhone part, and continuing to offer the Pro models in the form of the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. We’ll be focusing on the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro for today’s review.
Apple iPhone 12 Series Specifications
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
SoC
Apple A14 Bionic
2 × Firestorm
4 × Icestorm
DRAM
4GB
6GB
Display
5.42" OLED
2340 x 1080
625nits peak
6.06" OLED
2532 x 1170
625nits peak
6.06" OLED
2532 x 1170
800nits peak
6.68" OLED
2778 x 1284
800nits peak
Size
Height
131.5 mm
146.7 mm
160.8 mm
Width
64.2 mm
71.5 mm
78.1 mm
Depth
7.4 mm
7.4 mm
7.4 mm
Weight
135g
164g
189g
228g
Battery Life
2227 mAh
-12% video
vs 11
2815 mAh
+-0%
vs 11
2815 mAh
-5.6% video
vs 11 Pro
3687 mAh
+-0%
vs 11 Pro Max
Wireless Charging
MagSafe Wireless Charging up to 15W
Qi Compatible (7.5W)
Rear Cameras
Main
12MP 1.4µm
26mm eq.
f/1.6
Optics OIS
12MP 1.7µm
26mm eq.
f/1.6
Sensor-shift OIS
Tele-
Photo
-
12MP
52mm eq.
f/2.0
OIS
12MP
65mm eq.
f/2.2
OIS
Ultra-
Wide
12MP
13mm eq.
f/2.4
Front Camera
12MP
f/2.2
Storage
64GB
128GB
256GB
128GB
256GB
512GB
I/O
Apple Lightning
Wireless (local)
802.11ax Wi-Fi with MIMO + Bluetooth 5.0 + NFC
Cellular
5G (sub‑6 GHz and mmWave**)
Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA
**US models only
Splash, Water, Dust Resistance
IP68
up to 6m, up to 30 minutes
Dual-SIM
nano-SIM + eSIM
Launch Price
64 GB:
$699
£699
€809
128 GB:
$749
£749
€859
256 GB:
$849
£849
€979
64 GB:
$799
£799
€909
128 GB:
$849
£849
€959
256 GB:
$949
£949
€1079
128 GB:
$999
£999
€1159
256 GB:
$1099
£1099
€1279
512 GB:
$1299
£1299
€1509
128 GB:
$1099
£1099
€1259
256 GB:
$1199
£1199
€1379
512 GB:
$1399
£1399
€1609
Starting with the innards, the new iPhone 12 series are powered by Apple’s new A14 SoC. The new chip is powered by two high performance cores and four power efficiency cores, as well as a 4-core GPU. We’ll be going into a bit more details on the SoC in a later page, but by now based on our coverage of the Apple Silicon M1, we should also be familiar with the capabilities of the smaller A14 sibling.
In terms of DRAM, Apple fits the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 with 4GB of LPDDR4X, whilst the Pro models are getting a larger 6GB pool. NAND storage this generation hasn’t changed all that much for the lower-tier models which are sticking to 64GB base, with configuration upgrades 128 or 256GB, however the Pro models do now start out with a 128GB base model, with larger configurations at 256 and 512GB.
The big new feature of this year’s new iPhones is the 5G connectivity. Thanks to the usage of a Qualcomm sourced modem, Apple is now enabling 5G connectivity across its whole new range. It’s to be noted that for users in most countries, this still only means sub-6GHz 5G NR as mmWave antennas are only deployed in the US models. What’s also interesting is that it seems that these mmWave modules are designed by Apple themselves and not sourced from Qualcomm – which makes the new iPhones the first devices on the market to have such a non-Qualcomm antenna solution.
In terms of design, the new iPhone 12 are a mix of the old and the new. What’s new on all new devices is their screens, with the “standard” sized models we’re reviewing here having 6.06” 2532 x 1170 OLED displays. What’s particularly interesting here is of course the fact that the iPhone 12 shared almost the same display specifications as the iPhone 12 Pro, something which couldn’t be said of last year’s iPhone 11 which still came with a lower resolution LCD display and a generally different form-factor as the iPhone 11 Pro.
The new iPhone 12’s only difference to the 12 Pro in terms of screen specifications is that it doesn’t get as bright as the Pro model, being listed at 625 vs 800 nits peak brightness.
On the back of the phones, although hard to notice on these white models, one thing of note besides the different camera setup is that the Pro model again comes with a frosted glass back cover whereas the regular iPhone 12 still uses a glossy glass finish.
The new design is quite a bit of departure from the past 3 years of iPhones. Apple had noted that they’ve reduced the bezel of the screen while still maintaining a symmetric look on all the sides (besides the notch of course). This gives the visual impression that the new iPhone 12/12Pro is narrower than the iPhone 11 Pro, even though that’s not actually true – though it is a few millimeters taller.
I’m still not too sure what to make of Apple’s decision to go back to a flat-edged frame as on older generation iPhones. To be honest the very first impression upon unboxing the new devices I had was that this was just a horrible design and a massive step backwards in terms of ergonomics. Although as I noted the new phone’s width isn’t wider than that of the iPhone 11 Pro, because it has right angle edges, it actually has a larger circumference compared to the rounded-off iPhones, and it translates into a larger-feeling device even though they’re the exact same form-factors.
That first bad impression isn’t quite as prevalent after a few weeks of usage as you can still somehow get used to it, but as soon as I go back to the 11 Pro or another rounded frame phone it’s immediately striking how much better it feels in the hand.
In terms of button layout, we’re seeing the same setup as previous generation iPhones, two volume buttons on the left side beneath a silent mode switch, with the power button on the right side – so nothing inherently new there. It’s interesting that even now several years after the first under-screen fingerprint sensors and quite mature and accurate implementations out be competing vendors that Apple still hasn’t attempted it on the iPhone line-up – I think many would like to see the return of TouchID in such a manner, at least as an option alongside FaceID.
The iPhone 12 Pro comes with a steel frame with a special mirror finish, while the iPhone 12 comes in a matte aluminium frame build. Apple has been using steel frames for quite some time now with the iPhone X designs, but it hasn’t been quite as striking as the design here on the new 12 Pro series. It’s a highly subjective matter and many may feel that the steel frame is more premium, but I do vastly prefer the aluminium variant due to the fact that it’s nowhere near the fingerprint magnet – just looking at the 12 Pro I have here on the desk looks quite disgusting and messy while the 12 at least appears to be clean.
Another big difference between the two phones is the fact that the steel frame (alongside the added camera) of the 12 Pro adds in another 25g to the weight of the phone to 189g vs 164g, a difference that is very much immediately noticeable.
While I prefer the matte frame of the 12, the frosted glass on the 12 Pro is just simply much better and feels much more premium to the regular glossy finish on the 12 – again, because of fingerprints and dirt.
For the new iPhone 12 mini, 12 and 12 Pro, the main camera doesn’t appear to change in terms of sensor versus the iPhone 11 series, although that’s still perfectly fine. It’s a 12MP sensor with 1.4µm pixels and full sensor dual-pixel coverage, however the new camera modules employ a larger f/1.6 aperture lens which allows for 27% more light.
For the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12, the second camera module is the ultra-wide, which again appears to be the same as on the 11 series, featuring a 12MP sensor with an f/2.4 aperture and a large 13mm equivalent or 120° angle FOV. The novelties for this module this year lie on the software side of things with Apple now enabling various new features such as computational night mode on this camera as well.
For the iPhone 12 Pro, the third camera module is a telephoto unit with again an apparently similar module to last year, a 12MP sensor on an 52mm equivalent (2x optical magnification) optics with f/2.0 and OIS.
The Pro models also receive what Apple calls the LIDAR module, which is essentially a ToF sensor coupled with a structured IR light emitter, allowing for 3D depth sensing.
In general, my impression and design of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are two-fold, depending on the model.
Starting off with the 12 Pro, I generally don’t like the new design as the right-angle frame edges and mirror finish are both not very ergonomic and also quite messy. It’s a highly subjective opinion but it just doesn’t do it for me at all, and I vastly prefer the 11 Pro over this, even with the larger screen bezels.
Whilst I still don’t like the edges on the iPhone 12, because it’s a lighter phone and the general better feel of the matte aluminium, it’s actually the phone I prefer this generation. I would have liked the matte frosted glass on the back as well, but I guess you can’t have everything. What’s important for the iPhone 12 is that this year it’s major upgrade in terms of display compared to the iPhone 11, sporting a much higher resolution and also switching over from an LCD to an OLED. This was a major gripe of mine with the 11 and now the 12 essentially almost matches the display quality of the 11 Pro and 12 Pro devices, which is something that can’t be understated.
November 30, 2020 at 08:30PM
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The iPhone 12 & 12 Pro Review: New Design and Diminishing Returns - AnandTech
A second report says that Apple is working on using periscope lenses in future iPhones, which could enable up to 10x optical zoom without increasing the thickness of the phone or the size of the camera bump.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first saw supply chain indications of the plans last summer, predicting that the technology would be used in 2022 iPhones …
Kuo details Apple’s plans for its iPhone camera suppliers. Kuo believes that Semco and Sunny Optical (the ‘best’ Korean and Chinese lens suppliers respectively) are joining the iPhone supply chain this year […]
In 2022, Kuo believes the iPhone will feature periscope telephoto lenses manufactured by Semco.
A paywalled Digitimes report backs this report, with TNW even making the unlikely suggestion in its headline that we might see periscope lenses used in next year’s iPhones – though it does walk back this idea in the copy.
The next iPhone may include a Samsung periscope lens.
Digitimes reported that Apple is looking to improve the camera set-up of its next devices — and the way it wants to do this is by beefing up its phones’ zooming capabilities.
It appears though that rather than build this functionality by itself, Apple is looking to partner with South Korean companies in order to make it a reality. And, although nothing has been finalized, Apple may use a Samsung periscope lens.
Periscope lenses offer up to 10x optical zoom
We previously explained how periscope lenses work. The key principle is that longer lenses sit sideways inside the camera body, rather than needing to stick out.
You may not be familiar with periscopes unless you’re a submarine fan or old enough to have had one as a childhood toy. Essentially it’s a tube with two 45-degree lenses mounted at either end of them. You look into one end and can see an image reflected from the other end.
A periscope lens uses the same principle, but with just a single mirror, to bend the light 90 degrees.
[This allows] greater optical zoom. How much optical zoom is an open question. Although the periscope design means Apple doesn’t have to worry about the thickness of the iPhone, it does still have to find room inside the casing for whatever physical lens length the company chooses. Component space is at a premium inside the case, so there are still limits.
However, Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra uses a periscope lens to provide a 10x optical zoom, so that is clearly practical in a modern smartphone
Check out our explainer, with video, to get a better handle on how this works.
Given that next year is likely to be an S year, whatever naming convention Apple chooses, it’s unlikely that we’d see such a fundamental design change to the interior layout of the phones. That means that Kuo is likely correct that we won’t see periscope lenses until 2022.
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