Source: Android Central
What you need to know
- The Galaxy S20 will drop the dual-aperture feature from its camera, according to Twitter leaks.
- Dual-aperture helps with low-light photography and creating bokeh effects.
- Another leaker claims the Galaxy S20 Ultra will lose phase-detect autofocus, a DSLR-level focus technique.
Dueling leakers on Twitter are claiming the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S20 camera will see some apparent downgrades, though we'd bet Samsung has some tricks up its sleeve to make up the difference. First, XDA's Max Winebach, whose recent leaks suggest he has traveled to the future and knows exactly what Samsung will launch next month, simply drops the hint that the Galaxy S20 will not use dual-aperture mode on its camera.
S20 kills dual aperture.
— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) January 19, 2020
Dual-aperture is a neat hardware technique Samsung has been using since the Galaxy S9, and on all flagship phones since then. The camera can open or close the lens aperture to let in more or less light and change the focal distance of the image. Having a wider aperture (a lower F-stop number) means more light gets to the sensor.
It also helps create the please blurred-background bokeh effect. A smaller aperture helps focus more of the image and is better for long-range photos. Presumably, the next Samsung Galaxy will have enough camera sensors, including the rumored "periscope" lens for optical zoom range, to make up for removing the dual-aperture trick.
and S20U kills Dual-PD
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) January 19, 2020
Not to be content to kill one feature per day, Twitter leaker Ice universe, who also has a considerable reputation for accuracy recently, chimed in to say that the Galaxy S20 Ultra will kill the company's Dual-PD, presumably the dual pixel-detect or phase detect autofocus feature.
This is a feature borrowed from high-end DSLR cameras that compares individual pixel sensors to focus an image, instead of analyzing contrast lines in a whole picture. Phase-detect was a much faster focusing method than previous techniques, so if the Galaxy S20 Ultra indeed removes this feature it will be interesting to see what replaces it.
Best Galaxy
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Today's best Galaxy phone
The Galaxy Note 10 Plus is the current high-end of Samsung's smartphone line, and improves on its Galaxy S and Galaxy Note predecessors in every way, especially with its amazing camera.
Have you listened to this week's Android Central Podcast?
Every week, the Android Central Podcast brings you the latest tech news, analysis and hot takes, with familiar co-hosts and special guests.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Yes, Twitch is down right now for everyone
Having trouble with Twitch today? You aren't alone. The company confirmed via Twitter that it is investigating an issue with the website.
Eero Pro review: An excellent mesh router, but overkill for small spaces
Eero is one of the best-known names in mesh networking, and for good reason. It's a router system that's both simple and powerful, and one that makes it easy to configure as big as your house (and beyond) requires without adding needless complication.
Can Houseparty make it easier than ever to have the greatest parties?
There are a lot of different applications that make it easy to video chat with your friends and family, regardless of whether you are next door, or halfway around the world. With Houseparty, you can turn those video chats into fully-fledged parties, and it's quickly becoming more and more popular.
Keep your Galaxy S20 Ultra's display pristine with these screen protectors
Samsung pulled out all the stops for the Galaxy S20 Ultra, but that doesn't mean its display is impervious from scratches and cracks. Be smart and keep it safe with a screen protector.
