Samsung to introduce a phone with quadruple camera setup this year

Samsung is said to be working on a new Android smartphone that will feature a quadruple-camera setup on the rear panel. The company is rumored to launch the device later this year, reports Ice Universe. The source also claims that the device in question isn't the Galaxy S10 or the foldable Galaxy F, given the fact that it would be commercialized this year instead of 2019.

The four camera setup also means that the device will be a flagship offering with a hefty price tag. Based on the assumption, the insider is most likely pointing towards the W2019, the only unannounced flagship Samsung is expected to unveil this year. The W2018 successor should be launched as a flip phone and will be exclusive to the Chinese market. Last year's W2018 debuted the variable-aperture camera, which was later used for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9.

Imaging systems comprising three or more camera sensors are expected to be the next major trend in the smartphone industry. By popularizing triple- and quadruple-camera setups, sensor and lens manufacturers will grow their businesses even if there's a decline in the number of consumers buying handsets on an annual basis.

LG is also rumored to bring its V40 flagship with a triple camera setup. Samsung is also set to launch the Galaxy S10 with the same feature in 2019, according to the recent reports.

Besides, in April, Samsung also won another patent for an "Electronic Device Having Flexible Display," but this is a tad different from the previous patents. The new patent filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under publication number 20180103132, is more than a smartphone. It seems to be something that can double as a tablet, smartphone or a smart wearable.

What's more interesting is that it's designed around a device that can surpass far beyond these use cases. The company describes the patent as a single device that will have a large flexible display comprised of three bodies. The first and third will be thicker compared to the middle portion, allowing for rotation and folding.

The patent shows that it would be transformable smartphones which when closed would look and act like a standard smartphone. When extended, the display will extend to form a large smartphone with the thicker portions acting as handholds. This could come in handy in various situations like interacting with the display without covering it.