Huawei’s Next Smartphone To Shoot 3-D Photos
Huawei Technologies Co. is reportedly planning to unveil a new phone with a camera capable of taking three-dimensional pictures.
Bloomberg reports that the phone, code-named Princeton internally, will be announced this month and go on sale within a few weeks. The technology uses sensors developed by Sony that can accurately measure distances by bouncing light off surfaces.
The new feature — dubbed “3D Camera” at Huawei — will allow users to generate 3-D models of themselves and the environment in real-time, and share it with others.
Besides generating pictures that can be viewed from numerous angles, Huawei’s new camera can create 3-D models of people and objects that can be used by augmented-reality apps, according to report. The new camera will also let developers control apps and games in new ways, such as hand gestures.
Huawei and Sony declined to comment.
Sales of 3D camera modules would help Sony generate billions in additional revenue. The company accelerated the development of the technology after buying Softkinetic in 2015, combining the Belgian startup’s time-of-flight technology with its own semiconductor manufacturing prowess to create 3-D chips small enough to fit inside smartphones.
Apple’s FaceID facial-recognition feature is also powered by 3-D sensors, altough it relies on a technology called Structured Light, which can measure depth at shorter distances. Sony’s time-of-flight sensors can do so at longer distances.