Apple’s Plan For Periscope Cameras On iPhones Reportedly Halted Due To Samsung Patents

Rumours suggesting that Apple may be planning to include a periscope camera on future iPhone models have been circulating around since last year. Now, a recent report by The Elec has revealed that the company might be facing an issue to achieve this purported goal.

According to the South Korean news outlet, Apple allegedly planned to have its periscope camera to come with a ball actuator, a mechanism used to move the module’s interior lenses. However, this technological innovation is patented by rival smartphone maker Samsung, who’ve also featured the mechanism in the imaging systems featured on its flagship products, including this year’s Galaxy S21 Ultra.

The iPhone maker was expected to acquire the periscope camera modules from its long-time supplier LG InnoTek, The Elec reports. But this route may not be favourable for Apple, as the supplier procures its ball actuators from Samsung Electro-Mechanics – a move that will result in the Cupertino-based company to pay Samsung a patent license fee in order to use the technology for its future smartphone releases.

Similarly, the publication added that the same issue also plagued Apple’s decision to procure a potentially new optical image stabilisation (OIS) module by Jahwa Electronics. According to The Elec, the supplier raised concerns that it may not be able to supply the iPhone maker with the technology, due to the fact that it was co-developed together with Samsung and its Samsung Electro-Mechanics subsidiary.

With several obstructions being in the way, Apple is reportedly seeking alternatives to bypass the problem. It is suggested that the company is considering to either change the design of its periscope camera module altogether in order to avoid using the patented technology, or simply pay the patent license fee to Samsung.

Regardless, it will still take a while until we actually see a periscope camera on an iPhone, as it is said to only debut in 2023. But as always, such reports regarding this are unofficial at this current time, so be sure to take these rumours with a nice pinch of salt.

Nikon Announces Slow Shipment For Z FC Cameras, Delays New 28mm Lens Indefinitely

Nikon has announced via its website that it has finalised the shipping timeline for its newly launched Z FC mirrorless camera. However, the company also revealed in the same statement that it does not have the supply to fulfil all pre-orders for the device at this time. It noted that it will do its “utmost to deliver the product as soon as possible”, but did not provide an expected time frame for future shipments.

“We have received a large number of reservations for the Z FC and Z FC 16-50 VR SL Lens Kits that exceeded our expectations,” Nikon wrote in the statement. “For some customers who are currently making reservations, it may take some time before the product is delivered. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused to customers who are waiting for our products.”

While it may take some time for some customers to receive the retro-inspired Nikon mirrorless camera, the same cannot be said for those who’ve also pre-ordered the Z FC 28mm f/2.8 Special Edition Kit lens. In a separate statement issued on the same day, the Japanese camera maker also announced the lens’ original planned release in late July 2021 has been postponed, presumably indefinitely. Again, the company noted that the delay in parts supply is to blame, and promised to inform customers of a new release date for the product once it has been decided.

Aside from Nikon, the currently ongoing shortage of silicon supply around the world has caused numerous delays for other companies – affecting product development from different industries including automotive, smart devices, PC hardware, and even video game consoles. Semiconductor manufacturers such as TSMC and Foxconn warned that the shortage could continue into 2022, with major brands including Sony and IBM also expressing similar concerns.

Nikon globally launched its new Z FC camera back in late June 2021. Although its Malaysian branch (via) did not officially announce its pricing, local stores retailers such as ShaShinKi and YL Camera have listed the pre-order price for the retro-inspired mirrorless camera at RM4,488 (body only).

Facebook Smartwatch May Release Next Year; To Feature Two Cameras

Earlier in February, we saw reports that say Facebook may be working on a smartwatch of its own. New reports provide more details on what this wearable may entail, as well as when it may be released. And it’s not anytime soon, to be sure.

The Verge reports that the smartwatch by Facebook will come with a detachable display. This display will also come with two cameras . Detaching the module will then let users take pictures and videos, Naturally, you’ll be able to upload them to the company’s many platforms, including Instagram. It may also come with LTE connectivity for this purpose, so that it can work without a phone.

One camera will sit in front, the way a front-facing camera on a phone will. This one exists mostly for video calls, which probably means a lower resolution. Another sits at the back of the module, allowing for 1080p recording with auto-focus. Facebook will also be working with other companies to make accessories to allow the module to be attached to things like backpacks. Which makes it sound like an action cam.

The Verge reports that the smartwatch by Facebook will come with a detachable display. This display will also come with two cameras . Detaching the module will then let users take pictures and videos, Naturally, you’ll be able to upload them to the company’s many platforms, including Instagram. It may also come with LTE connectivity for this purpose, so that it can work without a phone.

One camera will sit in front, the way a front-facing camera on a phone will. This one exists mostly for video calls, which probably means a lower resolution. Another sits at the back of the module, allowing for 1080p recording with auto-focus. Facebook will also be working with other companies to make accessories to allow the module to be attached to things like backpacks. Which makes it sound like an action cam.

The report also states that this is the social media company’s plan to circumvent Apple and Google, going straight to users. Which also goes to explain why, despite it being a smartwatch, the detachable module behaves quite like a dumbed down smartphone.

Facebook is also reportedly already working on second and third generations of the device. Which sounds like the company is confident of its success. But the first generation will not be seeing the light of day until some time in summer 2022.

Sony No Longer Lists A-Mount Alpha DSLR Cameras On Its Website

It appears that Sony has finally closed the lid on its A-mount Alpha cameras, which have been on hiatus for several years now. First spotted by Sony Alpha Rumours, the company has removed the three remaining mirrored DSLRs, the a99 II, a77 II and a68, from the camera product list on its website.

The phasing out of the A-mount camera line is a long time coming. With the Sony a99 II flagship being the last of its kind launched back in 2016, no newer models or lenses from the same product line were introduced ever since. By then, the company had already fully shifted its focus to the more advanced E-mount mirrorless cameras, which have been well received by consumers and fans alike.

The A-mount system itself has an interesting history. Before Sony entered the picture, the system was originally developed by Minolta in 1985 and first introduced on its then-latest SLR camera known as the Maxxum 7000 – or better known as the Alpha 7000 in Japan and Asia. 

Minolta, which later eventually became Konica-Minolta after the merger of the two companies in 2003, continued to release newer A-mount SLRs and DSLRs – up to its withdrawal from the camera market in 2006. Fortunately, it wasn’t the end for the system just yet, as Sony acquired its assets as well as the Alpha branding not long after Konica-Minolta’s departure. Under its new owner, the A-mount system lived on for another decade.

Until recently, that is. After 36 years being part of the camera market, the curtains have finally closed on the system – marking an end of an era.

Fortunately, not all is lost for the A-mount – or rather, the lenses that feature it. Back in September of last year, Sony released the LA-EA5 lens adapter which allows its current generation E-mount mirrorless cameras to utilise the legacy lenses. On top of that, it also comes with an internal AF drive that enables the older optics to be used with autofocusing abilities, even those that lack the necessary built-in focus motors. This indeed has brought new life to the wide-range of A-mount lenses that Sony has released over the years.

OPPO Find X3 Pro Now Official; Features Dual 50MP IMX766 Primary Cameras

OPPO has officially launched its brand new flagship smartphone, the Find X3 Pro. Highlights of the new device include high-end Snapdragon 888-powered performance, colour-rich immersive display, dual 50MP primary cameras, and more.

Display-wise, the OPPO Find X3 Pro sports a Gorilla Glass 5 protected 6.7-inch curved AMOLED QHD+ display with a resolution of 3216 x 1440 px, 525ppi pixel density, HDR10+ support, and an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. OPPO says that the phone’s screen also comes with 10-bit colour depth that is capable of reproducing one billion colours for immersive viewing and imaging experience.

Under the hood of the new flagship smartphone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, along with 12GB of RAM and a storage capacity of 256GB. Powering the phone is a 4,500mAh battery with 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 Flash Charge support via USB-C, and 30W AirVOOC wireless charging. Other than that, the Find X3 Pro also comes with Android 11 via ColorOS 11.2, Dolby Atmos enhanced stereo speakers, NFC support, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

As previously reported, the new phone features a near-seamless camera bump on its back which blends in nicely with the rest of its rear design. Housed within the bump is a quad-camera setup consisting of dual 50MP Sony IMX766 sensors for its main and ultra-wide angle shooters, a 13MP telephoto with 5x hybrid optical and 20x digital zooming capabilities, and – a first for smartphone photography – a 3MP microscope camera with 60x magnification. Housed in the cutout on the top left corner of its display is a 32MP front-facing camera.

The phone is available in two colours with different finishes – the Black option offers a glossy rear case, while the Blue option comes with an anti-fingerprint matte finish. In Europe, the OPPO Find X3 flagship is slated to ship out to customers on 30 March and is priced at EUR1,149 (~RM5,646). The new flagship’s availability and pricing in Malaysia has yet to be revealed at this time.

Unlike what was suggested by earlier leaks and rumours, OPPO did not unveil additional variants of the new Find X3 series – namely the Lite and Neo models. It is not known whether the brand is planning to launch the two at a later date, or for certain regions only.

Hackers Gain Access To 150,000 Security Cameras, Including At Tesla Premises

A hacker collective has obtained access to live feeds of 150,000 surveillance cameras installed at businesses including Tesla and website security company Cloudflare, Bloomberg and Reuters reported. This stunning breach of security also affected jails, hospitals, police departments, and schools.

All the victims were customers of a Silicon Valley startup called Verkada, which sells security cameras and provides users with remote viewing through the cloud. That last bit appears to have backfired badly – a fact made worse by how easily the hackers pulled off their heist.

Tillie Kottmann, one of the hackers, told Bloomberg that they found the username and password of a Verkada “Super Admin” account lying exposed on the Internet. Using that account, they were able to view the camera feeds of all of the company’s customers.

Among camera footage provided by Kottmann, Bloomberg said it saw inside a Tesla warehouse in Shanghai, a hospital in Florida, and a police station in Massachusetts. Since learning of the intrusion, Verkada has disabled all internal administrator accounts.

Kottmann told Bloomberg that the hack “exposes just how broadly we’re being surveilled, and how little care is put into at least securing the platforms used to do so, pursuing nothing but profit.”

Funnily enough, easy access to video feeds may have been the point.

Reuters noted that Verkada CEO Filip Kaliszan once said the company intentionally made it easy for many organisational users to view live video and share it when necessary – for example, with emergency responders.

As always, this seems to be a case of technological utility butting heads against security and privacy. What’s the right balance? We doubt there are easy answers.

2021 iPhone Reportedly Features 120Hz Display With Always-On Function And Improved Cameras

Despite its expected Q4 launch window later this year, it is never too early for iPhone leaks. New information regarding Apple’s upcoming 2021 flagship model – which would unlikely be named as the “iPhone 13” because of obvious reasons – has surfaced online, thanks to leakster Max Weinbach via YouTuber EverythingApplePro.

This time around, it is said that the new handset would feature a battery-efficient LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) display, with a high refresh rate of 120Hz – the highest ever featured on the company’s smartphone releases. An even more interesting tidbit from Weinbach revealed that this model may also be Apple’s first iPhone to come with an always-on display. This suggests that the upcoming model would be even more power conserving than its predecessors – something that cannot be proven accurate until we are able to test it out for ourselves, which is still a long way to go.

The always-on display feature has been a standard on most Android smartphones, and was already introduced on the company’s Apple Watch wearables starting with the Series 5. The leak detailed that notification bars and icons will be displayed for a limited amount of time on-screen when the phone is locked, while the battery and clock indicators would be visible throughout.

Weinbach added the 2021 iPhone would also feature upgraded cameras, but was not specific regarding their improvements. Instead, the leakster said that the handset would come with a better ultra-wide camera, automatic astrophotography, and a Galaxy S21-like portrait video mode. Other than that, he claims that the handset’s rear case would sport a grippier matte finish and the built-in MagSafe magnets are stronger too.

Keep in mind that the MagSafe feature on the current iPhone 12 models is known to cause interference with medical implants, as previously reported. Therefore, Apple’s precaution of keeping its iPhones away from these devices would still apply to the supposed upcoming models, given its increased magnet strength.

As a quick recap, earlier rumours of the 2021 iPhone specifications suggests a smaller notch on its display, and an in-display Touch ID feature – another purported first for Apple’s smartphones. Weinbach’s recent leak also corroborated on an earlier report claiming that the upcoming models would sport a similar design to last year’s iPhone 12 series, but with some minor tweaks.

As usual, we highly advise to take the provided information with a pinch of salt despite Weinbach and EverythingApplePro’s track record in regards to smartphone leaks. With the 2021 iPhone’s expected announcement still being far off, we can expect even more rumours and leaks to surface along the way.

Alleged OnePlus 9 Pro Prototype Leaks; May Feature Hasselblad Enhanced Cameras

Live images featuring an alleged prototype of the OnePlus 9 Pro have surfaced online, thanks to Youtuber Dave2D. This time around, the phone’s rear case exhibits a different camera array, unlike the one seen in the earlier leak that was reported a few weeks ago.

As seen in the photos, this version of the phone sports two prominent larger cameras sitting vertically above two horizontal smaller sensors within the housing. What’s even more interesting is the Hasselblad branding sandwiched between them. This suggests that OnePlus may have partnered with the Swedish company to include some form of enhancements or technology to the phone’s cameras.

For those unfamiliar, Hasselblad is one of the industry leaders in medium format camera production which are favoured by photography professionals. Medium format cameras are equipped with larger sensors than full-frame ones, enabling them to capture more detail and tonal range, as well as a shallower depth of field for portrait-based shots.

As to how Hasselblad would incorporate its medium format photography into a mobile device is anyone’s guess, at least for the time being. Of course, provided that this OnePlus 9 Pro prototype is to be believed. Hopefully we’ll get some details from the smartphone maker when it is finally ready to officially unveil the phone sometime soon.