Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 could have a rotating camera, but theres a catch

Date:
Fri, 23 Jul 2021 09:23:24 +0000

Description:
A patent has shown a Galaxy Z Flip-like phone with a rotating camera and a
big cover screen, but the design isn't perfect.

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is probably about to land, with leaks and even official teasers suggesting it will arrive on August 11. But weve already had a glimpse at what the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 might look like, and it could
be in for some big changes.

A Samsung patent application filed with the World Intellectual Property
Office (WIPO) and spotted by LetsGoDigital , details a clamshell phone that looks a lot like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip , except it has a much larger secondary screen and a rotating camera.

That camera is a dual-lens one that lives in the hinge, and you can rotate it to be useable when the phone is closed (with only the cover screen visible)
or when its open, and to various angles in between. So this can be used both for selfies and all your other photography needs. These are the best foldable phones Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review The Samsung Galaxy S22 is on the horizon

This wouldnt be the first time a phone has had a rotating camera. The Samsung Galaxy A80 had one for example, as did the Oppo N1 and that launched all the way back in 2013. But this would be the first foldable phone with a rotating camera.

The benefits are obvious you get superior camera hardware for selfies, and the phone doesnt need a notch or punch-hole to house any of its cameras. Housing the camera in the hinge would also help with delivering a larger secondary screen, as space wouldnt need to be left for camera lenses next to the display. (Image credit: Samsung / LetsGoDigital)

Thats all great, but if youve looked at the sketches above then youve
probably noticed some problems with this implementation of a rotating camera. By housing it in the hinge, the hinge itself has to be a lot bigger, which makes the phone bigger too.

On top of that, the hinge and camera actually jut out a long way when the phone is folded open, so you wont be able to lay it flat like that, and it generally looks a bit inelegant, which is not something you want with an expensive foldable.

For these reasons coupled with the fact that patents often dont become products were not convinced that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 will have this design. Samsung is rumored to be using an in-screen selfie camera for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 , so wed think its more likely that the company will continue down that path making the camera components less visible and prominent, not more so.

Especially as rotating cameras have never really caught on, despite companies having been experimenting with them for years. We wouldnt totally rule a rotating camera out for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, but wed say its unlikely to have one, especially with this design. A larger secondary screen is certainly possible though. Check out the best Samsung phones

Via Phone Arena



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-4-could-have-a-rotating-c amera-but-theres-a-catch/


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