technology news: Nokia’s next flagship might ditch Light camera technology

lundi 27 janvier 2020

Nokia’s next flagship might ditch Light camera technology

The Nokia 9 PureView was one of the more ambitious smartphones of 2019, offering a penta-lens camera powered by Light as well as some neat extras.

But HMD's 2019 flagship suffered from inconsistent camera quality and slow camera performance, while also shipping with an older flagship chipset. Now, reports of a Nokia 9.2 PureView are gaining steam, and it could fix where the older device went wrong.

Read: Nokia 7.2 review — When good enough isn't good enough

We first heard about an alleged Nokia 9.2 PureView in December via the Nokia Anew Twitter account. The account previously revealed that this device was delayed to Autumn 2020 and will offer the Snapdragon 865 chipset.

Some of this information has now been corroborated by Nokia Power User and NokiaMob's sources, reporting the apparent Nokia 9.2 PureView name as well as the Snapdragon 865's inclusion. The former outlet claims that the new phone will launch in the first half of the year, while the latter website says it'll be launched after June 20.

In terms of pricing, Nokia Power User says HMD could adopt a Nokia 8-style approach. The Nokia 8 was a more affordable flagship, offering high-end power and a sub-€600 (~$662) price tag compared to premium devices.

Let there be no Light?

Nokia Power User's source adds that the phone won't come with Light camera technology, citing post-launch support of the Nokia 9 PureView as one possible hurdle.

The Nokia 9 PureView used five 12MP cameras (three monochrome sensors and two RGB sensors) powered by multi-lens camera company Light. This enabled better HDR and low-light snaps, and more granular depth effects. Our Edgar Cervantes praised the phone's HDR snaps and color reproduction in his Nokia 9 camera review, but lamented the lack of detail and slow camera performance.

What you need to know about Light, the company behind Nokia 9 PureView cameras

It seems like just yesterday that dual cameras became popular, yet we're already moving to triple and even quadruple camera setups. But HMD Global laughs in the face of these smartphones, as its Nokia 9 …

Hopefully this means the Nokia 9.2 has a more conventional normal/wide/telephoto camera layout. In fact, the outlet says it will have a "great camera" with a big sensor.

As for other details, NokiaMob's source says the Nokia 9.2 PureView might have a bezel-less display with a 32MP or 48MP selfie camera, wireless charging, and no 3.5mm port.

None of these details are officially confirmed though, so you might not want to hold your breath just yet. But it definitely seems like the Nokia 9.2 PureView could be a return to form for the company if true.