Galaxy Note 8’s dual-lens camera will be ‘much better’ than iPhone’s

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Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Apple isn't the only one suffering in China.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Samsung isn’t giving up on its Galaxy Note lineup following last year’s exploding battery fiasco. According to one reliable analyst, a Galaxy Note 8 is coming with a dual-lens camera that will be “much better than that of the iPhone 7 Plus.”

Fans were surprised Samsung didn’t bring a dual-lens camera to the Galaxy S8 series to compete with iPhone 7 Plus — especially after images of a prototype device containing two camera lenses surfaced shortly following the handset’s official unveiling.

But the South Korean company isn’t ignoring the upgrade. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 will feature two rear-facing cameras, and they will be “the most important upgrade” offered by the phablet.

One will be a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera offering dual photodiode technology, while the other will be a 13-megapixel telephoto sensor. Both will feature six-element lenses and optical image stabilization, and they’ll combine to provide 3x optical zoom, beating iPhone 7 Plus’s 2x optical zoom.

Kuo promises that the “Note 8’s dual-camera will be much better than that of iPhone 7 Plus.” However, he expects Apple to catch up with its next-generation iSight camera with this year’s “OLED iPhone.”

Before we dismiss these claims, we should remember that Kuo is famous for being a remarkably reliable analyst who normally reports on Apple’s next movements. He was one of the first to reveal this year’s iPhone upgrade would offer bigger OLED displays and an all-new glass form factor.

Other features of the Note 8, according to Kuo, will be a rear-facing fingerprint scanner like the Galaxy S8, a 6.4-inch Quad HD+ display, and either Exynos 8895 or Snapdragon 835 processors (depending on the region).

Kuo also offers some insight into Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ performance so far. He claims both handsets have been received “better than expected,” and as a result, KGI is significantly increasing its 2017 shipment predictions from 40-45 million units to 50-55 million units.

“We attribute this to a better- than-expected selling point in the full-screen design,” reads Kuo’s note to investors.

“Post-launch market response a big thumbs up for full-screen design, offsetting our concerns. Although the full-screen design has not created any new applications, its form factor will be effective in attracting high-end users.”

Kuo previously claimed the Galaxy S8 “lacked attractive selling points” and suggested it would not sell well — especially with a big iPhone upgrade coming later this year.

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