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Opinion: Could the rumored twin-lens of the iPhone 7 Plus signify the start of a real divergence between the models?

dual-cameras

When Apple first made the move into larger-screen phones with the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, there was only tiny difference between them in terms of features: the larger-screened model included optical image stabilization while the smaller one didn’t. This was likely driven simply by the practicality of fitting the technology into the larger device rather than any real intention to differentiate the two devices feature-wise.

But the rumors suggest that the iPhone 7 Plus may offer a dual-camera system, offering optical zoom, while the smaller iPhone 7 won’t. A fresh report today suggests that a number of camera lens makers have sent dual-lens samples to Apple for testing with the iPhone 7 Plus.

Assuming the optical image stabilization also remains exclusive to the Plus, the combination of the two features means that – for the first time – some of those who might have opted for the smaller model now have reason to consider the larger one instead. Could this suggested second step by Apple indicate that it intends to increasingly differentiate the two flagship iPhone models as time goes on … ?

Let’s start by looking at the significance of the only present difference between the iPhone 6/6s and the iPhone 6/6s Plus.

Image stabilization is designed for use when shooting in low-light. When there’s not much light available, the iPhone has to leave the sensor switched on for longer, meaning that tiny hand movements as you take the photo can result in motion-blur – which makes the photo appear out of focus. Image stabilization aims to detect this movement and compensate for it.

Digital image stabilization – as used by the smaller iPhone – attempts to do the job in software. The iPhone 6 blends together a series of short exposures into a single image, each one sharper than a single long exposure. It’s a pretty effective technique, but there’s a limit to what can be achieved.

Optical image stabilization (OIS), as used in the iPhone 6/6s Plus, is far more effective. Here, the iPhone uses a gyroscope to move the camera array to compensate for hand movement. If your hand moves the camera up and right by a tenth of a millimeter during the exposure, the gyroscope moves the camera array down and left by the same amount. The two motions cancel out and you get a sharp image.

ois

The OIS system used by Apple means that it works for video as well as still photos.

There’s no doubt that OIS is a nice feature to have, and for a tiny minority of those particularly keen on iPhonography, it may have influenced their choice of model. But for most people, it’s far too small a differentiator to have them buy the larger iPhone 6 Plus when they find the smaller iPhone 6 a more convenient size.

twin-cameras

But a twin-lens camera is a bigger deal. I detailed some of the potential benefits of this in a look at Apple’s patent for this technology, so I won’t repeat all that here, but will concentrate on one of them and just mention the rest.

The key one is optical zoom. Although you can digitally zoom in on any iPhone, all you are actually doing is cropping out part of the image captured by the sensor. Imagine a grid of nine squares. If you zoom in to the centre square, you are simply throwing away 8/9ths of the image captured. Your zoomed-in image therefore has a lower resolution than a non-zoomed one.

With the optical zoom used on conventional cameras, you adjust the lens to fill the sensor with a tighter field of view. As you zoom in, the lens element moves further away from the sensor. A smaller portion of the scene hits the sensor, and you continue to get full resolution as you zoom in.

The lens on a cameraphone is far too thin to allow optical zoom. One solution would be to have two completely separate camera modules, one offering a standard field of view and the other say a 3x zoom. What Apple has patented is something rather cleverer than this (see the patent for details) but gives the same end result. Technically, it’s not a zoom lens – it’s one with two different fixed focal lengths – but the net result is you can choose between a standard and telephoto view while still getting full-resolution images.

Other potential benefits include the ability to shoot video and stills simultaneously, getting maximum resolution for both; shooting normal speed and slo-mo footage simultaneously; shooting a standard photo and zoomed-in video.

Our poll suggested that this is a big enough deal to influence purchase decisions. Almost half of you simply responded ‘take my money,’ while almost a quarter more considered it very exciting. If Apple does indeed implement the technology with the kind of features described in the patent (a big ‘if,’ of course), then it will be clearly differentiating the iPhone 7 Plus from the iPhone 7 by features as well as size.

future

And this may turn out to be only the start. Bugs aside, Apple rarely does anything by accident. If it establishes clear blue water between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus via features like these, it’s likely to continue that differentiation in future models.

Which leaves me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, choice is good. Being able to choose the feature-set we want, and pay accordingly, is a positive thing. But for those of us who prefer the form-factor of the smaller iPhone, I’m less happy about the idea of being forced to choose between the phone size I want in my pocket and the features I’d like to use when removed from it.

If certain features are only available on the larger phone because physics, that’s fair enough. Apple is simply taking advantage of the greater space in the larger phone to fit in more technology. The dual-camera system – like OIS – may well fall into that category.

But if Apple instead chooses to differentiate the two models for marketing purposes, I think that will be a shame. Where physically possible, I’d like to have the choice of all the latest Apple tech in my preferred size of device.

What are your views? Would you be happy to see increasing differentiation between smaller and larger iPhone models? Or should Apple match the feature set except when this simply isn’t physically possible? Take our poll and share your views in the comments.

Bottom image: Zuma Press

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Comments

  1. applegetridofsimandjack - 8 years ago

    As I voted, smaller size shouldn’t mean fewer features. iPhones are not like Macs. With the newest flagship models, there should be no difference in power or hardware specs like cameras.

    If it’s only possible to improve or add something to 1 of the 2 iPhones, that feature should not be added or improved at all.

    I feel the only difference between iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus should have been the display size and battery size. That’s it.

    • alexandereiden - 8 years ago

      Yes but laws of physics and engineering don’t allow for the same features in a smaller space. Bigger means more space for better tech. That’s the issue, and I don’t want Apple holding back features.

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        They can add more battery, and not more features. This ensures that the only thing the larger size gets people is more battery life, which is understood by far more people, and also unknown by far more people. If you start differentiating them by adding a lot more features just because it has more space, you risk upsetting customers that would never purchase the bigger phone.

      • alexandereiden - 8 years ago

        I still disagree, because the average user won’t buy the larger phone in the first place, and the average user won’t care about using two cameras at once. I base purchases off of tech, not battery life (when it comes to iPhone, that is already awesome by lasting the whole day) especially if it can just be recharged. Therefore if the iPhone 7 Plus has the features that are rumored, I will gladly pay the extra 100 for more features, because I have use for them.

        Not to mention… Apple may be removing 3.5mm jack and SIM card slot for waterproofing (for both models), and the extra space allow for a bigger battery in the first place. But also I’m sure iOS 10 will have even better efficiency and will therefore improve battery life.

    • Smigit - 8 years ago

      “If it’s only possible to improve or add something to 1 of the 2 iPhones, that feature should not be added or improved at all.”

      Why? So everyone misses out? The people with the smaller model would be no better off but those happy to carry a larger device needlessly miss out in order to keep some arbitrary feature consistency.

      If anything this would potentially hurt the owners of smaller models in the long run as it prevents Apple experimenting on the device that has the larger footprint and in turn looking for components that can be better miniaturized and optimized down the line if the feature proves successful. I don’t think it’s entirely unlike a car where many features consumers now consider standard across the board started out as flagship functions of more premium models and over time those filtered down. Not to say we want a massive price disparity, but the physical limitations are just as relevant when it comes to feature costs concerned with mobile devices.

  2. PMZanetti - 8 years ago

    I’d prefer that small size not equal less features, but it shouldn’t come as a shock that this is true. An extra millimeter can be the difference between can do/can’t do in such small products.

    And when you’re charging more for the larger model (agree or not, this is what they do, and will continue to do) there ought to be some more bang for the buck.

  3. just-a-random-dude - 8 years ago

    I think in this case, I would understand Apple leaving it in the Plus model only, dual lens OIS system would be more than double the space it takes up in the non-Plus model. (Tear-down does show the OIS cameras are larger and heavier than the non-OIS cameras).

    However, as the components are getting smaller and smaller every year, there should be enough room for Apple to include the single-lens OIS camera in iPhone 7 now.

    I’m thinking it will be;

    iPhone 7 Plus == dual lens OIS system
    iPhone 7 == single len OIS system.

  4. Walter Tizzano - 8 years ago

    It can put LESS features in the silly big screen phablets for what I care. Smaller doesn’t mean less powerful or with less features.

    • PMZanetti - 8 years ago

      But it does Walter, it absolutely does. At any given time, the tech you can put in a 4.7″ device is worse than what you could put in a 5.5″. You can also fit another gizmo, or a little more power, or a little more battery.

  5. Grayson Mixon - 8 years ago

    I’m amazed so many people voted no. 43% of people think they should deliberately withhold features from the larger one just to ensure equality of outcome.

    Both models should be improved to their maximum ability.

    That means that they shouldn’t withhold features from the smaller model just to drive demand for the larger one, but it also means they shouldn’t withhold features from the larger one just because the smaller one can’t handle it.

    That seems like the only logical choice, but then I’m an engineer. So what do I know?

    • PMZanetti - 8 years ago

      Without a doubt. These are same people that cry over the price of an iPhone, or the 16 GB entry model. They’d rather the top end NOT get better options.

      • Grayson Mixon - 8 years ago

        I guess it’s the same thinking that put “No Child Allowed Ahead” into law here in the US.

    • Jerry Glonek - 8 years ago

      The issue is that I think myself, and many others, consider the iPhone 6s (not Plus) to be “the” flagship model. The Plus is supposed to exist for those who want that large of a phone, and the “se” (ugh) exists for those who want a smaller phone. Having unique features to a model that is not considered the flagship, and indeed sells much less than the flagship, is not a good idea. I have an iPad Mini, I have no interest in the Plus model iPhone and never will. But that means I may be missing out on key features, which is disappointing.

      Yes, you can argue that in the world of Macbooks the 13 inch models do not get the discrete graphics cards that the 15 inch models do. I will counter that by saying that for 6(?) years there was one iPhone model that got the latest. And then there was one year where there was a cheaper version besides the main. Now as of the iPhone 6 we are getting a Plus model. But the flagship model comes with expectations after all this time.

  6. Robert - 8 years ago

    In the short term the plus will have some enhanced features. This could in part be a ploy to increase the average selling price.

    However, I expect to see a swing in popularity toward smaller phones and I like to think Apple will re-think this current trend of adding extra features to the plus, unless these features really do require more space or can only be supplied in lower volumes.

  7. charismatron - 8 years ago

    I am more about Apple pushing the envelope and bringing new innovation to market quicker than having the same phone experience for everyone all the time, so I don’t see a problem with the more expensive feature arrives on the larger phone and not on the smaller. You pay more, you get more.

    Plus, that “new” feature will make it to the rest of the line in short order, after having been thoroughly tested on the earlier, more expensive model. So they’ll get the chance to eliminate and problems once the feature is the status quo for all phones.

  8. Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

    I hope it’s just a new line of iphone.

    That gives them a chance to market it differently than the normal iphone line. They can allow these models to not get thinner and use them as a way to introduce new technologies that might trickle down eventually. The issue with it being all one line of iphone is that the iphones have to keep being compromised devices to appeal to two different markets. You have people who need more battery in the 6s and people who it’s perfectly fine for. People who demand the iphone camera get better each year, and people who haven’t noticed it changing since the 5s.

    Instead of using unmarketable, old iphones to reach lower price points they can have phones that are built for those pricepoints and have new features that are marketable to masses… like live photos coming to the new 4″.

    Divergence is good now that the product has matured. Apple was just smart enough to wait until the then.

    It would be great if they made an 4.7″ pro model also though if it didn’t need to get thinner maybe that’s possible. I feel like this next ipad will actually be a smaller version of the pro and the normal ipad air will also get updated.

  9. triankar - 8 years ago

    I already regard my 6S as too unwieldy to use with one hand and on first chance I’ll definitely _upgrade_ to something physically _smaller_. The 5S was ideal.

    If I want a portable big screen, my iPad mini serves me very very well.

  10. TiM (@timnphilly) - 8 years ago

    Just great, this is the kind of activity that creates confusion in the product line, and what got Apple into trouble back in the 1990s. And which Steve Jobs cracked down upon when he revamped and simplified Apple’s products upon his 1997 return, to make purchasing easier for consumers.

    Now they are renewing the 5s into the 5se even though they have the 6/6s line. Ugh, this all can’t end well.

    • Jerry Glonek - 8 years ago

      I’ve felt for awhile that Steve would be furious at how many different product variations there are out there now, and the names. I know Tim Cook wants to milk the supply chain for all its worth but we’re getting close to consumer confusion territory.

      For iPhones, there should be standard, Plus and Mini for each model. Older models stop being produced and work out their existing sales in the supply chain. Why there is still an iPhone 5s being produced is beyond me.

      Same thing goes for iPads. iPad Mini, iPad Air, iPad Pro. Why are they still selling the iPad Air with the Air 2 out, and the mini 2 (not even the 3!) with the Mini 4? Those need to be phased out.

      I really think the old Apple TV model should have been phased out too due to how significant the technology and features are between the old and new ones.

      • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

        There where a lot of products under Steve too. Look at how many different types of ipods there where. Once a product reaches maturity it branches out to better fit niches.

        We had the macbook air 11″, 13″ the macbook (white) 13″, a mabook pro 13″ and 15″ (17″?) that’s a bunch of laptops.

        Pick a line that fits your needs and budget and then pick a size that works best in that line. The issue is apple is using old phones to cover cost tiers when really they need a line of phones that get updated (but not with top of the line stuff) and can be marketed. In the end it would be the same number of devices but just reorganized in a way that people think of the old ones as something good but separate from the top of the line ones. Both would be new, just only one would have the really new stuff in it.

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        @Greg that will never be true of the iPhone in regards to your ‘niches’ statement. Sorry, but this is the iPhone: the absolute best possible technology they can economically and physically produce for 70+ million phones. This is the same every single year, indefinitely. There is and never will be a pro model because it makes no sense and there is absolutely no feature that they could magically add because they already put the best possible into it yearly.

      • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

        @smoothies,

        you have a lot of good ideas but this is just one can’t agree with. I think it’s hard for people to wrap their head around this because they got into Apple because of the iphone and that’s just how they know things go. But we’ve seen this with all there other products before.

        At one point the ipod was their main profit maker. At first it was new ipod after ipod – it could have gone on indefinitely like that but it didn’t. I mean why would someone need the ipod shuffle? shouldn’t the ipod just have gotten that small and cheap and the max storage in it increased? Wouldn’t that fit your “the absolute best possible technology” model? Instead we had on sale the ipod classic, ipod nano, and ipod shuffle. All filling different niches at different price points but all providing the “ipod” experience to customers.

        What will happen is the iphone will start break out into lines at different price points for people with different needs – including a line that will be around that push the limits but less people will buy those.

        We can have fun watching exciting stuff happen to the Apple watch just like how the iphone stole the thunder from the macs and ipod.

    • alexandereiden - 8 years ago

      No but I have to say that a smaller phone size (iPhone 5se) is crucial, both for the lower price point and for smaller screen. I mean I have a few friends that won’t get a new iPhone because they don’t like the larger screen size, and others who want a cheaper phone to give to a child or something. Two reasons why Apple needs a smaller phone.

    • Jake Becker - 8 years ago

      As Greg already said, there were plenty of diversion in product lines during Steve as well. If you look at what they are doing cross-product you can see they’re trying to unify and simplify. The issue now I think is that they need to kill so many older things off for good, stop having those things available. Macbook Air, iPod Nano, iPhone 4S to 5S. At this point if a consumer really wants that old tech there’s eBay and a thousand other sites they can find it on.

  11. taoprophet420 - 8 years ago

    Some sites last week had it rumored last week that the dual lens camera model will be an additional Plus model. I don’t what to think of Apple making 2 Plus models. Not sure if having an extra GB of ram and a camera system that rivals a DSLR is enough to justify an extra model.

    I have no problem with the Plus models having extra features since it is .2mm thicker and comes with the $100 premium. The results of the poll surprise me and seems like more people would see that the difference in size and thickness means that Apple can fit more Ina larger thicker phone.

    • taoprophet420 - 8 years ago

      I wonder Apple will have a model a with sapphire screen or hybrid sapphire screen to go along with the dual ca era model.

      Lack of components lack dual camera modules or a sapphire screens can give Apple the excuse to makes 2 versions in the same screen size. I never liked the rumors in the past of Apple making some iPhones with and some without sapphire screens.

  12. Tom@L (@Wild_hunt_) - 8 years ago

    if they gimp on this one, please tell us why should we upgrade to the regular iphone 7 from current 6S? Apple is becoming irritating day by day. People also want premium features on the regular version.

    • taoprophet420 - 8 years ago

      Already the plus has a batters camera and better battery capacity and battery life.

      • Tom@L (@Wild_hunt_) - 8 years ago

        better battery and larger screen size is a given trade off with larger phones. But having better camera is not. If they dont upgrade the camera with the regular version, they are going to anger so many folks, not mentioning they are also removing 3.5mm headphone jack also.

  13. taoprophet420 - 8 years ago

    According to Ming-Chi Kuo 25-35% of the iPhone 7 plus models will have the dual lens camera. This means they’re will be 3 versions of the iPhone 7 making this pole pointless

  14. sally (@FedGoat) - 8 years ago

    smaller should Not mean less features. Not everyone want the massive Plus model that’s even larger than a Note 5 (with a smaller screen, worse camera, smaller batter, no S Pen features)
    The new 4″ phone should be a full spec iPhone 6S but with a 4″ and of course, size dictates the battery size as well. but other than that, it would be 12mp/5mp, 2GB ram, etc.
    Apple already does enough to screw customers with Forced upgrades. aka 16GB = USELESS for 99% of the public.

  15. Ariana Murzina - 8 years ago

    I am very torn about this one. I do not think that being unable to fit the same feature in both sizes should stop Apple from rolling the feature all together, but I also would rather not have that much difference between the two.

    I am still sporting my 4S and I will definitely be upgrading to one of the 7’s as I don’t think that my current iPhone will hold on for much longer. Providing that these rumours are indeed true, I would have to choose between having a better camera, which is a very important feature for me at the moment, and being more comfortable with using my phone. I have recently wandered into my local Apple store and tried both 6S and 6S Plus out – while I could still use the 6S Plus with one hand, it is definitely not the best way to go about it, I feel like I don’t have enough grip and that my thumb would start hurting quite soon, hence why I was leaning towards iPhone 7, but now I am not so certain about it anymore. I know that nobody cares about my personal choices and troubles, yet I feel like there would be more people like me for whom the Plus might be just a tad bit too big for everyday use, but who would want to have the best experience for their money(especially since iPhones are not cheap, especially over here in Europe).

    Frankly, I’d be 100% fine with them making iPhone 7 thicker to fit the same camera that an iPhone 7 Plus would have, if you ask me 6/6S are almost too thin already, I really do not need them to shave off any more…

  16. oguntunde - 8 years ago

    With iPhone sales starting to decline, Apple’s pressured to increase the average selling price of them to grow margins. Personally, I’d have a 4.7′ with all the features of a Plus (battery life!) Apple has financial incentives to drive people to more expensive phones.

    • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

      They aren’t going to drive people to a more expensive phone. No one cares anymore except for the tech geeks or people who really really utilize the advanced functions of these pocket-computer-cameras-.

      This will be a painful time for the Internets as people cope with the idea that they aren’t the target for the next iphone anymore and that maybe they need to move to a more pro centric model or be happy with what their phone does at the size it is.

      It’s how Apple has their laptop lines. The Air is the most popular laptop and the pro is there for the much smaller number of people who want/need/can afford it. I’d wager most people commenting on these sites get the pro even if they don’t need that much power just because they simply want the best money can buy and are excited by new technology.

      I’m not saying you are one of those people but it seems clear the iphone market is split and apple should address them with different products.

      • Tom@L (@Wild_hunt_) - 8 years ago

        if that happens, i wont be buying iphone 7. Will be holding iphone 6 for some time or maybe switch to galaxy s7.

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        Except there is no such thing as a pro phone, because a pro phone doesn’t have more features that makes it worthy of being a pro phone, unlike a laptop.

      • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

        @Smoothies I hear plenty of stuff that would differentiate A pro phone. It would encompass everything people on these sites have been complaining about with the iphone 6s.

        “stop making phones thinner”, “No don’t remove the headphone jack”, “give us more battery life”, “I want an even better camera but not one that sticks out”.

        All of those problems are solved with the pro.

        This leaves the iPhone free to get thinner, remove the headphone jack, have a flush camera in the design, and maintain decent (but not improved) battery life.

        The 4″ iphone is like the macbook air right now. It will be there as the mix between the two that isn’t really that appealing from a design or technical standpoint but will be a very solid phone.

  17. Jake Becker - 8 years ago

    That would be pissing me off for that stupid phablet to be so far ahead of the normal sized one in the camera department.

    • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

      Are you pissed off that the macpro or 15″ macbook pro can be so much more powerful than the 13″ air or 13″macbook pro?

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        Those are laptops, not smartphones that get the best features every single year. Sorry Greg they can’t do magic.

      • Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

        @smoothies. Not sure you understood my question. I was making a comparison. Blake is pissed because a big phone is better than a small one. I asked if he’s pissed that the bigger macbook pro is better than a small laptop like the air or even the smaller macbook pro.

        Why would they not be pissed about this too? Either they already buy the macbook pro and get all the power because they value that more than form factor, or they don’t value the amount of power in the macbook pro as much as form factor – much like many people won’t value the camera or battery life getting much better next year. I bet more people would rather the camera go flush with the casing than the camera get better.

        They can’t keep doing magic each year and giving everyone what they want in one device. We’re seeing them push against those limits. First they couldn’t even make a 4″ phone with the 6 specks – until a year and a half later (maybe). Now they can’t get a better camera without sticking out.

      • o0smoothies0o - 8 years ago

        @greg They could release a 4″ phone with iPhone 7 specs, easily. They choose not to. There are only a couple of things the bigger phone can get over the smaller phone. Battery, screen size (obviously), camera, and speaker.

  18. gshenaut - 8 years ago

    I’m always going to buy the + model because I really like the larger screen, and if there are more features in them, then it’s a win-win as far as I’m concerned.

  19. Richard Anderson - 8 years ago

    What surprises me with articles like this how ‘suppliers’ are sending components for a products that are being released in just a few months. I would hazard a guess that’s incorrect. Even if it’s remotely true it would be for next years phone variant. I work in the electronic product market and am very sure that by now, the phone or any other item that is being released in a few months would be way down the design route, it is more probably down the notified approval body and validation route rather than design. That means testing camera designs or receiving samples would not be an option right now, not for an iPhone 7 or 7 plus.

  20. I’m still wondering why they would add a second lens just to (marginally) increase the quality of normal pictures. Wouldn’t it make more sense to use a second lens for photogrammetry and or thermal photography instead? That would be a real useful feature without real competitors on the market (yet). Let’s be honest, even with 4 lenses, curved sensors, stabilisation etc. there’s no way to make up against real (DSLR) lenses for professional photography!

  21. Yash Ostwal (@yostwal) - 8 years ago

    Although I voted for “No, smaller size shouldn’t mean fewer features”, I have to say that some of the features are restricted by the size factor. Like a bigger battery could be included in the Plus model because the larger size gave more room for it.

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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