Samsung is a giant in the mobile market, known for its AMOLED displays, RAM, and NAND flash storage, but the Korean giant's camera imaging sensors are becoming just as popular – with a new flagship arriving with one of the largest selfie camera sensors Samsung has ever created.
You've likely heard about the OnePlus 3T by now. Unveiled last month, the device is rather similar to the OnePlus 3 (its predecessor) except for the new 3,400mAh battery that sidelines the 3,000mAh battery of the OnePlus 3 and the new 128GB storage option that provides a new storage limit for consumers looking for more than 64GB to satisfy their storage desires. The OnePlus 3 has Near Field Communication (NFC), a change from last year's OnePlus 2.
As a OnePlus 3 user, I can say that these changes were very needed for OnePlus, as the 3,000mAh battery achieves little over 5.5 hours of screen-on time (SOT) and about 20 hours of battery life. Though I've been working hard to turn my Google Pixel XL into a Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the Pixel XL does have better battery stamina than the OnePlus 3 (of course, it has a 3,450mAh battery, too). The battery bump to 3,400mAh is a step in the right direction, though optimization is just as important.
And yet, there's one more new addition for which a subset of consumers will be thankful: OnePlus has added a 16MP selfie camera from none other than Samsung. The OnePlus 3T now boasts a 16MP front camera that utilizes Samsung's 3P8SP camera sensor with phase detection autofocus (PDAF). Of course, the OnePlus 3T, following in the footsteps of the 6-month-old OnePlus 3, features Samsung's Super AMOLED display, which is sure to please those who prioritize deep color contrasts and color vibrancy in their viewing experience. Samsung is viewed by many to be a rival of OnePlus, but OnePlus named Samsung as one of its partners behind the OnePlus 2 last year.
While Samsung's 3P8SP camera sensor will get some publicity due to its arrival with the new OnePlus flagship (the company is well-known in tech enthusiast circles), there are other imaging sensors that outweigh the latest in popularity. Samsung's S5K4E6 camera sensor in the Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, Note 5, as well as this year's Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, and Galaxy S7 Active (and now-deceased Galaxy Note 7) is also found in other Android smartphones such as the HTC 10, released earlier this year.
Additionally, Samsung's S5K3P3 image sensor has been utilized by Xiaomi with its 16MP rear camera and the S5K3P3 sensor on its Redmi Note 3 Pro, Vernee with its 16MP back camera on the Apollo Lite, Ulefone with its 16MP back camera on the Ulefone Future, BLU with its 16MP back camera and same sensor on the BLU Pure XR, and BQ with its 16MP back camera on the BQ Aquaris U Plus.
The company's S5K5E8 sensor appears on phones such as the 5MP front camera in Vernee's Apollo Lite, the 5MP front camera on the Intex Aqua Ace Mini, the Alcatel Shine Lite (some use Samsung front and back sensors, others use OmniVision), the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro, and the Meizu M3 Note.
As I've said before, placing Samsung sensors into any smartphone camera doesn't indicate whether or not a smartphone camera will have world-class performance. OnePlus's mix of Samsung and Sony camera sensors in the OnePlus 3T matches a lot of what Samsung has been doing in its most recent flagships, but I think OnePlus should go with Samsung sensors for both cameras from here on out. The camera shots from both the selfie camera and the back camera of the OnePlus 3 aren't all that impressive to me and, though doing their best to maintain color accuracy, often wash out photos and make images dull, to say the least.
Samsung has started using its own in-house, 16MP selfie and rear cameras (back sensor S5K3L2XX and front sensor S5K4H5YC, to be exact) with its new Galaxy C9 Pro (thanks Hakim!), so the OnePlus 3T isn't as unique as one would presume at first glance (though the 3P8SP sensor is unique to the 3T). The Korean giant's recent Iran announcement of the Galaxy A3 (2017), Galaxy A5 (2017), and Galaxy A7 (2017) showcased three mid-range smartphones that also feature 16MP selfie and rear cameras. Buying a great Samsung smartphone in the mid-range segment has never been as compelling.
Despite what I think about the OnePlus 3, though, I'm pleased to see OnePlus move in Samsung's direction with its selfie camera. I only hope that other Android OEMs are taking notice, and OnePlus sees better success with its new selfie camera on the 3T. No smartphone user needs a 16MP selfie camera or rear camera, but then again, a smartphone is a luxury – and necessity has nothing to do with it.
