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realme teases 64MP smartphone with quad rear cameras

48MP smartphones are a hot topic in 2019, but realme is upping the ante with an upcoming device.
By
June 24, 2019
realme is working on a 64MP smartphone.
TL;DR
  • realme CEO Madhav Sheth announced that they’re working on a 64MP smartphone.
  • The new realme phone will also offer a quad rear camera setup.
  • Samsung and Xiaomi are rumored to be working on 64MP phones too.

48MP cameras have emerged as one of the biggest smartphone trends of 2019 thus far, as budget and flagship tiers alike adopt the technology. Samsung upped the ante last month by introducing the 64MP GW1 sensor, but could it see similar adoption to 48MP shooters?

Well, Realme CEO Madhav Sheth has now announced on Twitter that the firm is working on a 64MP smartphone powered by the GW1 sensor. The executive claims this will be the first phone with Samsung’s 64MP sensor. Xiaomi and Samsung are reportedly working on 64MP phones too, so it looks like the race to be first isn’t over yet.

Working on the new premium killer! Introducing world’s first smartphone camera with 64MP GW1 largest 1/1.72” sensor and mega 1.6µm pixel with amazing clear shots in low light too. RT if you want to see more “knockout” shots. #DareToLeap pic.twitter.com/D54xNFdaVm
— Madhav 5G (@MadhavSheth1) June 24, 2019

The Samsung GW1 sensor is larger than 48MP sensors, allowing Samsung to maintain the same 0.8 micron pixel size as the 48MP sensors. The GW1 is capable of delivering pixel-binned shots that are equivalent to a 16MP 1.6 micron pixel snap. By comparison, 48MP cameras offer pixel-binned snaps that are comparable to a 12MP 1.6 micron pixel camera. In plain English, the 64MP sensor theoretically offers the same low-light performance as 48MP cameras, albeit at a higher resolution.

Expect 64MP and 100MP+ smartphones by end of 2019, says Qualcomm exec
News
The back of the Redmi Note 7 Pro.

Look at the image watermark and you’ll also see “64MP AI quad camera” branding. Hopefully realme opts for a flexible normal/ultra-wide/telephoto arrangement. We’ve seen Samsung’s Galaxy A9 offer a depth sensor as the fourth camera before, so this is one possibility for realme too.

Sheth says realme will launch this device in India first, which isn’t a huge surprise given the company’s India focus in the first place. The executive adds that this will be a “premium killer,” so you can likely expect a more affordable price tag. Would you buy a 64MP smartphone? Let us know in the comments!

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