Apple reportedly hoped to integrate the periscope camera lens system to its iPhone as soon as 2023, but a new report from Korea accused that the silicon valley giant might have run opposed to the problem: a Samsung patent.
As a few backgrounds, “periscop” is a term used to describe the “folded” lens system that can squeeze larger zoom capabilities into a small camera array found on the smartphone by directing light to the side through the body body through the order of lenses and mirrors or mirrors prism. The design is considered “periscope” because it imitates how the submarine periscope looks and works.
Because Petapixel has reported in the past, the technology is behind the optical zoom of 10x Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which is far more than the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 2.5x zoom.
Apple has submitted several patents for the design of the “folded” lens type camera in the past, including those givenrecently in July and other from August which integrates optical image stabilization.
There are various ways to build a periscope lens especially in terms of how a company moves the lens barrel. According to a report from Elec, Apple wants to use the ball actuator to move the barrel lens, which is different from the spring actuator which is currently used on its iPhone. Unfortunately for Apple, Samsung – which has a technical advantage on technology over Apple – holds the patent.
Elec explained that Apple plans to supply the zoom camera module folded from the old supplier for the company, LG Innotek, who bought a ball actuator from Samsung Electro-Mechanics.
If Cupertino has chosen this route, it will replace the actuator partner Alps Electric and Mitsumi Electric with Samsung Electro-Mechanics.
Meanwhile, Apple reviews the factory module stabilizing electronic optical images of Jahwa during the first half of this year.
OIS is conventionally integrated with autofocus actuators to form a module. Integrated module is the main product of Jahwa. Combine it with image sensors and boards complement the camera module.
However, Jahwa together developed OIS technology with Samsung and Samsung Electro-Mechanics, raising fears that it might not be able to supply them to Apple.
Facing this problem, Apple will change the entire design to avoid the use of patented technology or must pay Samsung at a cost of licensing the right to patents. Both have options of course for technology giants, but probably not the choice to do the comp