At CES, LG will unveil a new camera module that could eliminate the “bump” from your smartphone.
G Innotek, a division of LG that manufactures electronic components, announced Tuesday that the new micro component combines the optical-zoom capabilities found in DSLR cameras with a thinner design.
Smartphone cameras with optical zoom are not new. What distinguishes LG’s upcoming offering is the ability to zoom in at magnifications ranging from 4x to 9x without resorting to digital zoom for magnifications in between, as current fixed-zoom smartphone cameras do.
Digital zooms enlarge images using software rather than a lens, which can significantly reduce image quality.
LG claims that combining multiple optical-zoom options into a single module will help free up space inside smartphones and improve battery efficiency.
Meanwhile, LG claims that it has reduced the module’s thickness in order to eliminate the camera bump found on the backs of smartphones with optical-zoom cameras with higher magnifications.
The company also stated that it is collaborating with Qualcomm to optimize software for the module and market it jointly.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which takes over the Las Vegas Strip each January, is the largest in-person event in the tech industry.