iPhone models dominate Flickr’s list of most popular cameras in 2017 with 54% of top 100 devices

Apple's iPhone remains the most popular camera used by the Flickr community, the photo-sharing site revealed today in its annual review of camera rankings and top photos. This year, the iPhone beat out other camera makers – like Canon and Nikon, the number two and three respectively – by accounting for 54 percent of the top 100 devices used on the site, the company found. In addition, all top 10 devices of 2017 were iPhone models, Flickr says.

The site's still sizable community of over 75 million registered users offers a good gauge of what devices people today use to take photos. Over the years, the top device has consistently been the iPhone – an indication of how consumers have moved away from traditional point-and-shoots for everyday photos. Many professionals also often turn to iPhone for their higher-quality photos thanks to Apple's improvements to the smartphone's camera.

The camera system on iPhones, in fact, has become a central focus for Apple's technological advancements over the years, and has consistently remained of the top reasons to upgrade to the latest iPhone model. That remained true in 2017 as well, with the release of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X.

This year, iPhone has scored the majority (54%) of usage on Flickr's site, up from 47 percent of the top 100 in 2016, and 42 percent the year prior. The iPhone also passed Nikon to score the spot as the second-most popular camera back in 2014.

Nikon was the third most popular brand with 18 percent in 2017, and Canon was number two, responsible for 23 percent of the top 100 devices.

In addition to the iPhone's top ranking, Flickr's list this year also shows the impact of smartphone use on the photography industry in general. The smartphone has become the dominant device choice by volume of uploads, Flickr notes.

This past year, smartphones accounted for half (50%) of all photos uploaded to Flickr, topping last year's figure of 48 percent. DSLR usage has increased as well, up from 25 percent in 2016 to 33 percent in 2017.

The rise of smartphones and DSLRs have come at the expense of point-and-shoots in 2017. This category has seen the biggest drop of the year at 12 percent down from 48 percent in 2016 – a massive decline. Meanwhile, mirrorless remained at 4 percent of the total uploads for the third year in a row, the report stated.

Source: iPhone models dominate Flickr's list of most popular cameras in 2017 with 54% of top 100 devices

Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 details revealed, may bring Pixel 2-class camera to phones like OnePlus 6, Xiaomi Mi 7

A day after Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 845 at its Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit, the company revealed more details about the next-generation high-end processor that will power premium phones like the OnePlus 6, Xiaomi Mi 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S9 next year. Although the performance of the Snapdragon 845 is going to be better than that of the Snapdragon 835 by -- according to Qualcomm -- up to 30 per cent, the big features of the new processor are all related to areas like camera performance, AI processing, virtual reality and security.

The Snapdragon 845 has 8 cores, built using the ARM A75 cores and ARM A55 cores. These ARM cores have been modified by Qualcomm so the company is calling them semi-custom cores. It says that the four high-performance A75 cores will run at a speed of up to 2.8GHz, a decent improvement over the 2.45Ghz that is the top speed of the Snapdragon 835. The smaller and power-efficient A55 cores run at a speed of up to 1.8Ghz in the Snapdragon 845, which is actually a slight decrease compared to the top speed of 1.9GHz from the similar cores in the Snapdragon 835.

However, due to the improvements in the processor architecture, and most likely because of additional L3 cache of 2MB and 3MB system cache, the high-performance cores in the Snapdragon 835 offer performance improvement of up to 30 per cent and the power-efficient core provide up to 15 per cent more performance.

The Snapdragon 845 comes with a new graphics processor called Adreno 630 that offers up to 30 per cent more performance while gaming compared to the Adreno 540.

The core performance is, however, not the big deal about the Snapdragon 845. Instead, according to Qualcomm, its new processor aims t solve the specific problems that define the user experience.  The company says that with the Snapdragon 845 it wants to improve the camera experience, the security on a smartphone, the way virtual assistants work on the phone, the way video is recorded and how the AI-rich apps run on a device.

The camera performance, AI, security, and battery life are some of core areas that Qualcomm identified three years ago as the factors that matter more to consumers and so when it set out to work on the Snapdragon 845, it decided to focus on them.

Big focus on cameras

Qualcomm says that the Snapdragon 845 will allow phone makers to create cameras that capture richer colours and better micro-contrast in images. It will also offer them ability to create better portrait photos with blurred background, even with just one camera, as well as offer better low-light photos by allowing multi-frame processing. Incidentally, multi-frame processing as well as AI-driven single lens portrait mode is something Google's Pixel 2 already uses to create magical photos. If Qualcomm indeed delivers on its promise, many more phone companies - including companies like OnePlus, Xiaomi, Motorola, LG and Nokia - will be able to offer Pixel 2-class cameras on their phones.

 

To be specific, Qualcomm claims that phones powered by Snapdragon 845 will be able to get 100 plus points in DxO camera benchmarks. Currently, the list at the DxO is topped by Google Pixel 2 that scores 98 points. Along with the improvements in the imaging performance, the Snapdragon 845 will also improve video recording by allowing phone makers to enable slow-mo modes of up tp 480FPS.

In a way, many of the technologies and features that Snapdragon 845 brings are already available in some high-end phones. For example, Apple's iPhones already have hardware-based on-device security protection. Similarly, companies like Google and Samsung already have dedicated processing chips for cameras that allow features otherwise not possible on phones. But by bringing everything in one place in the Snapdragon 845, Qualcomm will be able to ensure that many of these features reach more people and at a lower price point compared to what Google, Samsung and others charge for their high-end phones.

Faster LTE

The Snapdragon 845 also comes with a new modem X20 LTE that will support download speed of up to 1.2gbps, 20 per cent higher than what the Snapdragon 835 offered. Although, this speed can be utilised only with Gigabit LTE networks that are currently available only in 20 odd countries. For now, no telecom operator in India offers Gigabit LTE network.

"Thoughtfully designed with tech savvy consumers in mind, Snapdragon 845 utilises Qualcomm Technologies' industry leading wireless heterogenous compute expertise to design a platform for immersive multimedia experiences including eXtended reality (XR), on-device artificial intelligence (AI), lightning-fast connectivity, and introduces our new secure processing unit (SPU) delivering vault-like security for premium, flagship mobile devices," a Qualcomm spokesperson said.

 

The phones with the Snapdragon 845 will be available in 2018. It is expected that the Samsung Galaxy S9 will be the first phone to use the Snapdragon 845. Also, yesterday Xiaomi CEO had confirmed that the next flagship from the company will use the Snapdragon 845. This phone is likely to be the Xiaomi Mi 7. Other than these two phones, there will be tens of other high-end phones, including OnePlus 6, next-gen Nokia flagship phone, next-gen Moto Z flagship phone, Pixel 3 as well as possible devices like the LG G7 that will use the Snapdragon 845.

In addition to phones, the Snapdragon 845 will also be used by companies to make laptops. yesterday Asus and HP announced laptops that use Snapdragon 835 and support LTE aka SIM connectivity. In 2018, laptops featuring the Snapdragon 845 will most likely appear in the market.

Also Read: Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit: Snapdragon 845, Always Connected PCs, 5G and other big announcements

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Source: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 details revealed, may bring Pixel 2-class camera to phones like OnePlus 6, Xiaomi Mi 7

Elephone S9 To Arrive In Two Versions With Dual Cameras

Elephone has been teasing the arrival of the Elephone S9 for a while now, and our source at the company has just shared some additional info when it comes to the phone. Now, it seems like the company is planning to release two variants of the phone, the Elephone S9, and Elephone S9 Pro, which is something we did not know thus far. Now, our source did not mention that the Elephone S9 Pro will support NFC, though nothing was said regarding the Elephone S9, so it is possible that only the Elephone S9 Pro will ship with such functionality.

Having said that, both the Elephone S9 and S9 Pro will ship with a dual camera setup on the back, and we also received some camera info this time around. The two phones will include two 13-megapixel snappers on the back, one camera will pack in a regular RGB lens, while the other one will ship with a monochrome lens. Elephone has also partnered up with Arcsoft, a company which will provide image algorithms to Elephone, so that it boosts Elephone S9's images, mainly its bokeh effect. This company has been cooperating with a number of other smartphone manufacturers thus far, including Xiaomi, Huawei, and Samsung, according to Elephone, and Meizu has also joined that list a while back. Now, on top of all that, our source has shared yet another image of the Elephone S9, and this seems to be its pro variant.

As you can see, the Elephone S9 Pro sports a curved display, it seems, and its bezels are extremely thin. The design of the phone reminds us of the Galaxy Note 8 and Samsung's Galaxy S8 devices, at least from the front. The phone's bezels are really thin, and it's easily noticeable that the Type-C USB port and speaker grills will be placed at the very bottom of the phone. The device will be made out of metal and glass, and interestingly enough, it does not have any blacks bars on the sides, at least according to the provided image. We still do not know when will the Elephone S9 and S9 Pro land, but the company will probably reveal that soon enough, stay tuned. You can also follow Elephone's Facebook page if you'd like, as the company shares plenty of info over there.

Source: Elephone S9 To Arrive In Two Versions With Dual Cameras

Samsung’s new luxurious smart flip phone has the widest aperture camera lens yet

© Provided by The Verge Samsung unveiled a new expensive flip phone, the Samsung W2018, during a launch event in China today, as first reported by GizmoChina. Many of the W2018's specs are on par with the S8 and Note 8, with one exception: the camera lens.

The W2018 is the latest addition to Samsung's W line, which gets updated with a new flip phone every year. It's also the 10th anniversary of the W series, which is still popular in Asia. They are priced higher than typical Samsung global flagships, like the S8 and Note 8. A cheesy Chinese ad for the phone reads, "Hi Bixby, what's true luxury?"

With an aperture of f/1.5, Samsung claims that the W2018's 12-megapixel rear camera can capture sharp images in less light than the cameras on rival phones can. It also has a 5-megapixel front camera. Through software, the camera can sense when there's enough light to switch to f/2.4 and capture more of the background in photos. The phone will launch with Android Nougat, instead of Oreo.

The W2018 has a 4.2-inch full HD AMOLED front display, and a 4.2-inch full HD inner display. As retro touches that make me nostalgic as I type them, it has a directional pad and a number keypad. There's a fingerprint scanner beside the rear camera, like other Samsung models, and a Bixby button for voice assistance. It comes in gold and platinum in a metal-and-glass body protected by Gorilla Glass.

It's equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 256GB storage options. A 2,300mAh battery powers it all.

As an attempt to sweeten the deal for luxury lovers, Samsung says that W2018 buyers also get perks like concierge help at airports and subways, free software tech support, and a hotline just for VIPs. The phone will get released in China first and the price is yet to be announced, but we can guess it might be even higher than the W2017's price tag of $3,000. That's a lot to pay for tech support and taking clear photos at night.

Source: Samsung's new luxurious smart flip phone has the widest aperture camera lens yet

Razer Phone's camera app gets a performance enhancing update

One of the biggest flaws with the Razer Phone is the camera.

It's lacking in just about every area, especially the app Razer built to go with it. And now, at last, the first post-launch update to the Razer Camera app has pushed out.

Don't get too excited about it though, as this is simply a performance-enhancing and bug fixing update. There are no new features added, so we're still in barebones town when it comes to using the camera.

I've been using the Razer Phone for a month now and coupled with the OTA update the phone received around public launch better camera performance would certainly be expected. However, one thing that's still pretty rough is the seamless zoom using the telephoto lens. It's still really jerky and doesn't feel improved in any way. Honestly, Razer, please just give us a button to switch between lenses. That would be best right now.

It's too early to tell if there is any noticeable improvement in photos so we'll need to play around with it for a couple of days to get a feel for it. But if you're a Razer Phone owner (and you didn't already load up a different camera app) hit the Play Store and grab it now.

Source: Razer Phone's camera app gets a performance enhancing update

Samsung continues to torment us with gorgeous flip phones we can’t buy

Samsung is into flip phones in a big way, although you wouldn't know it to look at the decidedly hinge-less range of handsets bestowed upon the west.

The company stuck it to us again on Friday by unveiling its fanciest flipper yet; albeit with a likely price tag that makes the iPhone X look like a budget phone.

The Samsung W2018 has some amazing specs (and Bixby) to rival the Galaxy S8 and Note 8 ranges, and a camera with a wider aperture than that flagship pair.

Related: Best smartphones

Better still the 12-megapixel rear facing camera has the rarest of rarities, a varible aperture. The W2018 can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 depending on the light you're shooting in. Here it is in action (via Weibo)

Other than that, the rear-facing camera is up there with the S8 and Note 8 handsets.

Fear not though, if the variable aperture feature works well, we might end up seeing this on the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S9 handset, which will be unveiled earlier next year.

The front-facing camera is 5-megapixels while the 4.2-inch Super AMOLED display has. 1080p resolution.

In terms of power, it has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and 6GB RAM, meaning it matches up to the other 2017 headliners.

There's USB-C and NFC connectivity as well as a fingerprint sensor on the back of the device.

The China Telecom exclusive handset is likely to sell for upwards of $1,500 when it goes on sale in the Far East.

Would you be in line for a Samsung W2018 is the company stopped being so damn rude and gave us a chance to buy one? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.

Source: Samsung continues to torment us with gorgeous flip phones we can't buy

Orangutan takes playful selfies of himself monkeying around in the forest, after running away with the hidden camera

AN orangutan captured himself monkeying round in the jungle in these cheeky selfies.

The two and half-year-old primate pinched Ian Woods' hidden camera after he spotted it on a feeding platform in the Tanjung National Park in Borneo.

Ian Wood

The orangutan took a while to figure out how to take the best shot

Ian, a professional wildlife photographer, was trying to get candid snaps of the apes in their natural habitat on his brand new Go Pro.

But this inquisitive monkey quickly spotted it and disappeared in to the jungle to take his own snaps.

After a few awkward pictures showing just the bottom of his chin he soon got the hang of the camera.

Ian who runs charity wildlife photography trips to the jungle was watching a live-stream of the monkey's antics on his phone.

Ian Wood

Miraculously the camera was only slightly damaged by the ape and the pictures could be recovered

Ian Wood

Ian was trying to get a few candid snaps of the great ape in Borneo

Ian Wood

The whole crazy escapade was streamed back to Ian's iPhone

The 53-year-old said: "He was very inquisitive and quickly found my Go Pro on the feeding platform."I was about 20 metres away and streaming the Go Pro through my iPhone.

"He put it in his mouth - to decide if it was food and then disappeared off in to the jungle.

"I was very worried because I did not want a baby orangutan choking to death on my camera but after deciding he could not eat it he just started to play with it.

Ian Wood

Because his mother was hand-reared, the orangutan was not afraid of humans

Ian Wood

The thief was one of 4,000 orangutans in the national park

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"He managed to trigger the "burst" mode which meant the camera started taking hundreds of pictures.

"I thought, 'well that's the end of my Go Pro'."

Fortunately the orangutan – one of 4,000 in the national park - returned after his photoshoot.

Source: Orangutan takes playful selfies of himself monkeying around in the forest, after running away with the hidden camera