The Samsung Galaxy S10 lineup will feature a 3D camera setup meant to allow for depth sensing capabilities similar to the ones enabling Apple’s FaceID on the iPhone X, South Korean outlet The Bell reported Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The technology that’s supposedly meant to be implemented into the direct successors to the upcoming Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus is said to be developed by Mantis Vision, an Israeli startup dealing in high-end 3D scanners for mobile devices. The supplier won’t be the one implementing its camera modules into the Galaxy S10 series, with Samsung reportedly planning to carry out that task in collaboration with Namuga, a Seongnam, South Korea-based imaging firm which also specializes in 3D sensing technologies, in addition to developing conventional mobile cameras.
The world’s largest smartphone manufacturer is said to be looking to integrate Mantis Vision’s 3D sensor array into the front-facing camera of the Galaxy S10 instead of opting for a standalone solution such as the one utilized by the iPhone X. Doing so would allow the company to save physical space and avoid a scenario in which it has to design a phone with a display notch or a bezel that’s thicker than the one found on its previous flagships. Namuga has been Samsung’s partner for many years now, with the company being one of its camera suppliers for entry-level and mid-range handsets such as the Galaxy J and Galaxy A lineups. Intel’s RealSense augmented reality cameras are also equipped with Namuga-made hardware.
Mantis Vision was attending this year’s Mobile World Congress which Samsung used as an opportunity to announce the Galaxy S9 series but the two companies haven’t mentioned collaborating with each other in any capacity. Founded in 2005, Mantis Vision already received an investment from Samsung in 2014 when the tech giant and Singaporean Flextronics injected $10 million combined into the startup. While speaking at the latest iteration of MWC, Samsung’s mobile chief DJ Koh said the company recently changed its focus from industry firsts to ensuring every new addition to its devices is refined and benefits consumers in an optimal manner. The Galaxy S10 lineup is expected to launch around the time MWC 2019 takes place and may end up being rebranded, though the firm is unlikely to drop the Galaxy name anytime soon, according to the same executive.