With Huawei, LG and Apple all getting in on the fun, it seems that dual camera systems are the future. Setting its sights on that market, Qualcomm has developed a new technology called Clear Sight that provides OEMs with the basis they need to support dual cameras.
Qualcomm states in its release that the new technology is “designed to mimic the attributes of the human eye” in order to enhance image quality in low light. The chipset giant says the system works by making one camera with a colour sensor, and one with a black and white sensor, likening the former to cones and the latter to rods.
While the colour sense camera is great for capturing beautiful colours in bright light, the black and white sensor is best for low-light scenarios, as it lets in three times the light of its partner. When merged together, says the company, the combined images provide a super sharp, full-colour low-light image.
This is a different approach from some of the other dual camera technologies currently on the market. Rather than enhancing low light, Apple is focusing on improved zoom, while the LG V20 offers wide-angle snaps.
For manufacturers to use the technology, they’ll have to be running either the Snapdragon 820 or 821, which places the target squarely on the premium phone market. Considering the popularity of Qualcomm chips, this likely means consumers will see a lot more dual camera phones in the future.
Related: Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 supports Google Daydream VR and loads apps 10 percent faster
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