by We’re slowly approaching the days when our smartphones can perform just as well as any “normal” digital camera on the market, but there are still many of us that prefer the options that we can get with more specialized models. Fortunately, it appears that Sony (already known for some impressive cameras) is developing a solution for such shutterbugs. As reported by Sony Alpha Rumors (via AppleInsider), we may soon be able to attach small lens-like devices to our iOS (or Android) devices.
The specs for the two models, known as the DSC-QX10 and the DSC-QX100, are impressive. As AppleInsider reports, “Of the two variations planned, one will feature the same sensor-lens pairing from the Sony RX100, one of Sony’s more celebrated point-and-shoot cameras of late. That will mean a 1-inch, 20.2-megapixel Exmor R sensor with a 2/1.8 Carl Zeiss lens. The other device is said to have an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor with a 10x zoom lens, similar to the $400 Sony WX150.”
Source: Sony Alpha Rumors
Since the devices are paired with your camera through appropriate apps via Bluetooth, you apparently won’t have to center them over your iPhone’s existing camera as you do with existing products that attempt to mimic the features of a “real” camera. The device, in other words, will serve as the camera itself. Furthermore, each device will feature a Bionz processor, an SD card slot, Wi-Fi capabilities, near-field communications connectivity, and built-in camera sensors.
As to when we’ll see these curious devices? According to Sony Alpha Rumors, they haven’t even been announced yet, but we could be seeing them as early as September 4. If successful, this could mark a huge step towards bringing all the capabilities of contemporary digital cameras to our phone once and for all (although, depending on the price, you might be better off with a normal camera for now).
Follow this article’s writer, Leif Johnson, on Twitter.
