Samsung might be looking to exit the mirrorless camera market, but a recent patent suggests they’re far from exiting the photography market as a whole.
Newly discovered patents show that Samsung is potentially working on both dedicated smartphone cameras, similar to Panasonic’s Lumix CM1, as well as smartphones that feature interchangeable lens mount attachments.
First discovered on the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) website, the patents show off multiple variations of unspecified Samsung smartphones and modular attachments.
The most interesting patent features a curved-screen smartphone, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge, that is compatible with a modular lens mount unit.
As illustrated in the patents, the modular unit would attach to the back of the smartphone to create a fully-functional mounting system. In addition to data pins and the unspecified mount type, the attachment is said to also include a dual Xenon flash.
Another patent shows off a smartphone design very similar to Panasonic’s Lumix CM1 Android smartphone – complete with a large integrated lens and physical knob, presumably for changing settings.
Samsung recently said in a press release that although they are pulling certain mirrorless cameras from markets around the world, they ‘will continue to thoroughly evaluate market conditions and will make further adjustments to maintain our competitiveness in emerging camera categories.’
Smartphone cameras aren’t exactly ‘emerging,’ but it certainly seems right up Samsung’s alley, especially considering Apple was granted an interchangeable lens patent last year.
[via Galaxy Club]
Image credits: Patent images courtesy Galaxy Club and KIPRIS
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