Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Vs. Apple iPhone 8: Dual Cameras Comparison

Samsung is already hard at work in assembling its Galaxy Note 8 flagship phablet ahead of its market launch this September. On the other hand, Apple has postponed its planned September launch for its first OLED smartphone, the iPhone 8. However, this does not mean that the two will not go head-to-head later this year. In fact, the flagship killers are bound to clash, most especially that there’s now confirmation about the Note 8’s dual-camera module.

This Monday, Patently Apple learned from a South Korean report that Samsung Electronics has pushed for the inclusion of a dual-camera setup on its Galaxy Note 7 successor’s specs. While this is going to be the first time that Samsung is going to equip a smartphone with dual cameras, it won’t be the last. It has been confirmed that the company will henceforth use a dual-camera module for its phones, especially its flagship offerings.

The Galaxy Note 8’s dual-camera setup will reportedly comprise a 12-megapixel optical lens with dual-image pixel sensor and a 13-megapixel telephoto lens. The two lenses will have Optical Image Stabilization for less blurry images and smoother video recordings, and the module promises 2x optical zoom. On paper, the Galaxy Note 8’s dual-camera technology appears promising, but it’s still very unlikely to be up to par with what Apple’s cameras have to offer.

Apple is said to be going all out with its 10th anniversary iPhone. The iPhone 7 Plus from last year featured a dual-camera setup that’s composed of two 12-megapixel lenses — one wide-angle and one telephoto. Only the wide-angle lens has Optical Image Stabilization, but the module, as a unit, is capable of 2x optical zoom. Given the impressive specs from last year’s dual-lens iPhone, it won’t come as a surprise if the upcoming iPhones will be sporting more impressive camera hardware.

Based on earlier leaks, renders and rumors, Apple is switching things up by introducing a vertically aligned dual-lens module with its new flagship iPhone. The main reason for this change is for the iPhone 8 to feature advanced AR functionality. Ever since Tim Cook opined that Augmented Reality is going to be big, many have taken the CEO’s word as a hint to what the Cupertino giant is planning to be the main selling point of the 2017 iPhones.

Late last year, renowned Apple leaker and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that to bring out a more advanced smartphone photography camera, Apple will be designing a dual-camera setup with dual Optical Image Stabilization, as first reported by MacRumors. This means, Apple will be redesigning its telephoto lens to gain support for the feature.

In addition, leaked codes from the HomePod firmware strongly suggest that the iPhone 8 camera would be capable of recording 4K video at 60 frames per second, as per Apple Insider. What makes this bit even more interesting is the idea that Apple will be including this capability to both the rear cameras and the front-facing FaceTime lens. The firmware also leaked that the camera technology of the iPhone 8 will come with a feature called SmartCam, which adjusts capture settings based on a scene type.

As a newbie in the dual-camera market, there’s high hopes for Samsung to introduce a handset with a noteworthy dual-lens module. However, only time will tell if what Samsung is preparing could really match what Apple is planning for its upcoming iPhones. So far, Apple is believed to be providing a feature-rich experience through ARKit, an iOS 11 feature that centers on creating augmented reality content. If true, Samsung has a long way to go before it could introduce an advanced software that could bring AR to its Galaxy Note 8 and future flagship phones.