14 DAY TRIAL // Sony Mobile is the third major handset maker that talks about or considers the adoption of dual-lens camera setups in smartphones.
LG and Samsung are rumored to launch several high-end smartphones with dual-camera setups later this year. LG V10 is one of the most recent to feature such a camera configuration, but not the only one.
HTC One M8 is one of the pioneers that didn't manage to make the dual-lens camera setup mainstream, but chances are the adoption of this technology will happen next year.
At least, that's what Sony believes. In a recent statement for an analyst, Chief Financial Officer of Sony Corporation, Kenichiro Yoshida, said that the real takeoff of smartphones with dual-lens cameras would happen in 2017.
“Well, for next year, our so-called dual lens – dual camera platform will be launched by, we believe, from major smartphone players. However, as I said previously, recently, our smartphone market is growing and particularly, our high-end smartphone market is now slowing down.
“So, that may impact the demand or production schedule of dual camera smartphones by the major smartphone manufacturers. So, we believe the real start, the takeoff of smartphone with dual lens camera will be in the year of 2017.”
Suppliers will have to upgrade their production lines
We reported a few days ago that rumors coming from different sources claim Apple might include dual-lens camera technology in the upcoming iPhone 7 Plus.
The Cupertino-based company is already testing dual-camera setups received from Largan Technology, Apple's main supplier of camera modules.
Even if some of the major players in the smartphone market will begin launching smartphones with a dual-lens camera, the adoption of the new technology might not start until next year.
There aren't many manufacturers able to provide enough of these dual-lens cameras on the market yet, so it might take some time until suppliers upgrade their production lines for this particular product.