Huawei patents an idea for a thin periscope camera system

One of the annoying design trends we’ve seen in the past 5-6 years is the increasing size and bulkiness of phone camera lens modules. The cameras used to sit flush against the case, but now they stick out like a sore thumb. However, Huawei has a patent that could result in a thin periscope camera on smartphones.

Huawei persicope camera patent

Right now, smartphone makers need to balance the thinness of their phones versus their performance. Stuffing it with a massive battery will give it tremendous battery life, but it comes at the expense of weight and size. This is the same problem with cameras. The more powerful the camera, the larger the sensor, and the type of lenses used, all of this can determine the overall weight and size of the phone.

This is where Huawei’s patent comes in. The company has filed a patent for a new telephoto camera lens system. Instead of relying on mirrors to create periscope cameras for zoom, Huawei wants to use something that most photographers are familiar with—an extended camera lens.

Basically, this system involves a camera lens that can move in and out. This depends on how far the user wants to zoom. It also means that when not in use, the lens will sit flush against the phone. Or at least considerably flatter than what we have today, as you can see in the render above created by Seasonality Chart in collaboration with @xleaks7. The patent also suggests that users have the option of controlling it manually.

This means that, like the cameras of the good old days, users can manually adjust how much of the lens they want to peep out based on the zoom distance they’re trying to achieve. There is also another upside of this patent—repairability. This is because the patent calls for the use of mechanical parts versus electronic components. So in the event something breaks, replacing it should, in theory, prove easier.

No guarantee we’ll see it

Ultimately, Huawei wants to create a thin phone with a periscope camera. This patent could allow them to do that. That being said, note that this is only a patent. There’s no guarantee that Huawei will make it a reality.

However, as we’re seeing from both Apple and Samsung, thin phones are about to become fashionable again. If other handset makers jump on this trend, it could spur further research and development into these types of camera systems.

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