On Thursday, HMD Global announced an exclusive partnership with ZEISS, a longtime partner of the revived Nokia brand. They will get back together to jointly develop camera technology for the next generation of Nokia smartphones, including the high-end Nokia 9 presumably launching this year.
Rumors about a premium device slotted for the end of the year increased with the partnership announcement video posted to Twitter. People claim the optometry equipment with two lenses is a clear hint to a dual-lens handset.
Both parties trust in the reputation and newfound popularity that Nokia phones have had seen in Asia, where they have sold out literally in seconds. The world-class brand is bringing the Nokia 6 to North America this month.
ZEISS and Nokia have done great things together
Back during the golden age of Nokia, even up to their last days, the collaboration with ZEISS on optical solutions for devices was renowned worldwide. The Nseries and Nokia PureView technology stood out from the rest before smartphones as we know them now became a thing.
Carl Zeiss AG provided the cameras that Nseries phones were to carry and set a standard for 12 MP rear cameras on high-end handsets. Phones marketed under the N9x name were among the best of the market, both regarding quality build and photographic capabilities.
The PureView range, on the other hand, was all about groundbreaking optics when it first came out. The Nokia 808 PureView packed an astounding 41 MP sensor, one of the sensors with the highest resolution ever to be included in a phone’s camera.
After that, the technology took a step back because it coincided with the acquisition by Microsoft and the introduction of the Lumia lineup. Zeiss optics advanced along with the Windows Phone devices up until the Lumia 950 XL.
The new partnership will focus on video, AR, and dual cameras
During a briefing with the media after the team efforts were announced, HMD’s Chief Marketing Officer Pekka Rantala talked to the press about the scope of the partnership.
Rantala reassured journalists that the new bond between Zeiss and Nokia would be very long term, which we could interpret as a bet on consumer enthusiasm by both new Android devices and excellent optical solutions.
The executive also said they wouldn’t be focusing on megapixels anymore, like in the case of the Nokia 808 PureView, and that dual cameras provided an interesting opportunity to develop everything from lenses to software.
The two companies want to enhance photo and video experiences, although the second one seems to be more akin to the interests of HMD. “Video is an area we could see a lot of innovation in,” said Rantala before saying augmented reality was also “one of the big things” to explore.
Rumors and leaks from even before the Nokia 3, 5, and 6 were announced claimed that a dual-lens device was in the works. HMD’s CMO said there is “some space” for portfolio expansion in between the numerical models that are still missing.
Source: HMD Global