Vivo announces 'Super HDR' that uses AI for better smartphone pictures

Vivo's been experimenting with a lot of cutting-edge technology this year with phones like the X20 Plus UD and Apex, and it's shifting its focus on photography with the recent announcement of its new "Super HDR" platform.

Super HDR is supposed to be an upgrade over the current HDR shooting modes found in most smartphone cameras these days, and to do this, Vivo says it's harnessing the power of AI. Super HDR works in a very similar fashion compared to regular HDR, but because of its ability to reach a 14 exposure value and capture up to 12 frames with just one press of a shutter button, Vivo has a lot more data to work with to create crisper, brighter images.

Vivo is touting five main advantages for Super HDR, and they include the following:

  1. Capture more detail in adverse shooting environments, such as low-light and high-contrast situations
  2. Images have a more natural-looking contrast by using the different data found in the 12 frames that are captured
  3. AI can be used to detect what you're taking a picture of and adjust shooting modes accordingly
  4. Photos are more natural "by reorganizing and optimizing the highlights and shadow portions of the scene when merging the frames and ensures the photo naturally matches the original scene as seen by the human eye
  5. Lighting is adjusted when people are detected to create the best portrait possible

Commenting on Super HDR, Vivo Senior Vice President, Alex Feng, said:

"Vivo continues to push the boundaries and provide the ultimate camera experience for consumers. This goes beyond just adding powerful functions, but to developing innovations that our users can immediately enjoy. Today's showcase ofSuper HDR is an example of our continued commitment to mobile photography, to enable our consumers to shoot professional quality photos at the touch of a button. Using intelligent AI, Super HDR can capture more detail under any conditions, without additional demands on the user

There's no word just yet as to when Super HDR will be available for consumers to use, but I'd anticipate it arrives with one of Vivo's next flagship smartphones.

Vivo's Apex concept phone has tiny bezels, pop-up camera and in-display fingerprint sensor

Joe Maring

Joe Maring was a Senior Editor for Android Central between 2017 and 2021. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoeMaring1.