Samsung Reportedly Has Some Major Camera Upgrades Planned For The Galaxy S11

Almost a year ago, Samsung acquired mobile camera developer Corephotonics, and now, if reports are true, Samsung might finally be ready to add some of the company’s fancy new photography tech on the upcoming Galaxy S11.

According to a story from Bloomberg, in addition to a super high-res 108-MP sensor, the Galaxy S11 will get two additional cameras in the form of a 5x optical zoom cam and a 3D time-of-flight camera.

That means when you tack on the wide and ultra-wide angle lenses found on the current Galaxy S10, the Galaxy S11 could have a total of four rear cameras, with some rumours suggesting Samsung could go as high as five.

While other phones like Huawei’s P30 Pro and Oppo’s Reno 10x Zoom have sported 5x optical zoom lens before, none of them have readily been available in the U.S., which would give Samsung a significant advantage over competing phones from Apple, Google, and others.

Bloomberg also says the Galaxy S11 won’t be the only Samsung phone to get a massive 5x optical zoom, as it seems Samsung’s next foldable phone (which Samsung teased earlier this spring at its annual developer conference) will also get the same zoom camera as well. And with some reports claiming that Samsung’s second foldable phone could cost as little as $1,250, choosing between the Galaxy S11 and the Galaxy Fold 2 (or whatever Samsung ends up calling it) might actually be a somewhat difficult decision.

However, for anyone concerned about the Galaxy S11's looking a bit awkward like it’s been depicted in early fan renders (created by @onleaks and cashkaro.com), it’s still a bit too early to be really concerned. Noted Samsung leaker Ice Universe claims the final Galaxy S11 will look much nicer, though it doesn’t seem like there’s any way for Samsung to avoid that huge rectangular camera module.

Furthermore, if we look back to previous rumours claiming that the Galaxy S11 could get a 144Hz display, 5G support, and a massive 5,000 mAh battery life, we could be looking at one of the most impressive Galaxy phone launches in recent history.

But who knows, it’s still early, and with the S11 not expected to make its official debut until sometime in late February or early March, nothing is set in stone just yet.