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LG patents a smartphone equipped with 16 cameras and complex software

What an advancement in mobile photography

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Image render by MJ Jucutan | GadgetMatch

How many cameras do we need on a smartphone? LG was actually among the first to have dual cameras on a smartphone in 2011, but it was for 3D photo and video capture. When Huawei introduced their dual camera system in 2016, many manufacturers followed and it became a trend. Now, we have up to four cameras at the back of phone courtesy of Samsung. Nokia is even prepping a phone with five rear cameras.

Pioneering another advancement in mobile photography, LG has filed a patent that shows a smartphone with 16 cameras. You read that right; the company has plans for a future smartphone with an array of 16 lenses. What’s more interesting about it is that it’ll not lie flat on the back.

Image credit: LetsGoDigital

The South Korean tech giant came up with an idea of having a 4 x 4 array of lenses arranged at an angle. This will let each camera see differently, then the captured photo will be stitched by software. It’s pretty much how a panorama photo works, but without the body twisting and moving.

Thankfully, the patent shows an example of how it’ll be applied in an actual scenario. LG’s patent can detect faces in a photo and replace them with the angle that looks best. It can even use a face from a photo taken previously.

Image credit: LetsGoDigital

Image credit: LetsGoDigital

Each of the 16 lenses has varying focal lengths and purposes. With a single tap, all 16 cameras will take a shot at the same time and users will be able to pick their chosen photo. From wide-angle to telephoto, users will have it all in their hands.

You can even take selfies with the 16-camera setup using a built-in mirror on the phone. Ain’t that fascinating? What we don’t know yet is when LG will have a working prototype that we can play with.

The company has a record for experimenting with new things, so this 16-camera idea is not far from reality. Then again, it might take a few years before we can get this on a phone.

Source: LetsGoDigital

SEE ALSO: Is this our first look at Nokia’s five-camera phone?

Apps

EU wages war against doomscrolling

Brussels is asking TikTok to change its addictive design.

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TikTok K-Pop TWICE Chaeyoung

Doomscrolling is the greatest enemy to everyone’s productivity today. The temptation to keep on scrolling for hours is an ever-present temptation. Taking a very strong stance against the phenomenon, the European Commission is now investigating TikTok for having an addictive interface.

Via Politico, Brussels is now prodding TikTok to change its interface. Very technically, the European Commission is not out to get doomscrolling, specifically. However, the major changes that they want to introduce “disabling infinite scrolling, setting strict screen time breaks, and changing its recommender systems.”

App addiction is a persistent problem today. Besides concerned parents, governments around the world have been trying to regulate addiction, especially when it comes to children. The European Commission, as is apparent from this new initiative, is at the forefront of preventing addiction.

Though the target is explicitly TikTok right now, changing addictive interfaces will also affect other social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and X. Most platforms nowadays thrive on encouraging users to keep scrolling through more content.

Right now, TikTok isn’t set to change just yet. However, the report states that the European Commission is willing to work with platforms for a better, non-addictive interface. It’s less abrasive than the region’s recent privacy initiatives, which requires users to verify their age before accessing mature content.

SEE ALSO: TikTok finally gets a buyer in the United States

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Laptops

Are you ready for a more colorful MacBook?

Apple is experimenting with quirkier colorway options for the MacBook.

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In recent years, Apple has relented on limiting the colors of its devices to only the more premium-looking options. Users can now pick quirkier colors for their iPhones, highlighted currently by the Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max. Soon, the same splashes of color might make its way to the MacBook lineup.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has been testing different colorway options for its upcoming entry-level MacBook. The unannounced lineup might come in pink, light yellow, light green, and blue.

It’s a big change for MacBooks. Currently, the only “quirky” option that users can get is the MacBook Air’s Sky Blue, which honestly looks more silvery than blue. Other than that, the MacBook simply seesaws from different shades of gold, silver, and black.

To be fair, the upcoming MacBook will still have the traditional colorways of the current lineup. Additionally, it’s unclear whether Apple will ultimately include all its experimental colors into the final lineup.

Reportedly, the new lineup will cost somewhere between US$ 699 to US$ 799. Of course, the lower price tag will come at the expense of some specs. Although, it should still be good if we’re talking about an entry-level laptop.

It’s even more interesting if it’s hinting at the return of truly colorful options but for the notebook. The iMac already got a similar renaissance back in 2024, which mimics the classic computer’s colorful history.

SEE ALSO: M5 MacBook Pro review

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Laptops

ASUS, Acer PCs are banned in Germany

And it’s all because of Nokia.

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Zenbook S 14

Brands getting banned are commonplace in today’s tech landscape. These usually happen because of geopolitical reasons, especially if it’s in the United States. In Europe, brands sometimes get banned for anticompetition reasons. Today, however, a commonly used codec, HEVC, is at the center of a controversy that has led to the banning of ASUS and Acer in Germany. Even crazier, Nokia is involved.

For context, Nokia owns several patents for video codecs. One of those codecs, HEVC (or High-Efficiency Video Coding) is ubiquitous in every PC, which means that every PC maker must purchase a license to include the codec in their machines. It’s an essential these days, so it’s unusual for ASUS and Acer to miss it.

In Germany, where licensing is stricter, both companies were found guilty of infringing the patent, as reported by German outlet Hardwareluxx. As a result, ASUS and Acer must stop selling PC and laptop sales until they obtain a license from Nokia.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean that the two brands have disappeared from the country. Third-party retailers can still sell their remaining stock. However, the companies cannot import or sell any new stock, pending a conclusion to the issue.

Naturally, the easiest fix is to just buy the license. Hisense, another company that found itself in the same mire, bought a license last month. Either ASUS and Acer are running into more technical issues, or they just didn’t feel the license was worth it for a single market.

SEE ALSO: ASUS is leaving the smartphone industry

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