According to media reports, vivo is set to launch its proprietary imaging brand named BlueImage. This new endeavor is expected to make its debut on the upcoming vivo X100 Ultra.

The unveiling of vivo’s own imaging brand, BlueImage, signifies the birth of the second independent imaging brand in the smartphone industry, following Huawei’s XMAGE.

Public records reveal that vivo filed for the registration of the BlueImage trademark on November 14, 2023, covering a wide range of imaging-related services including graphic processors, optical lenses, sensors, and more.

Leaks suggest that the vivo X100 Ultra, slated for a May release, will feature a triple-camera setup on the back, including a 200-megapixel periscopic ultra-long zoom lens equipped with a Zeiss APO long-focus lens, capable of 200x digital zoom.

Moreover, the X100 Ultra will upgrade its primary camera to Sony’s LYT900, featuring a full 1-inch sensor with 50 million pixels and a single pixel size of 1.6μm.

Compared to the IMX989, the LYT900 reduces power consumption by 43% and expands the dynamic range to 14EV, which is 9.5 times that of the IMX989, allowing for the preservation of more detail in light and shadow.

In terms of core specifications, the vivo X100 Ultra will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen3 mobile platform, sporting a Samsung 2K E7 centrally-punched AMOLED curved display. The screen supports 1-120Hz LTPO and 1440Hz high-frequency PWM dimming.

There’s no doubt that photography has become one of, if not the, most essential features of flagship smartphones. This is why imaging flagships are the pinnacle of flagship devices. In the 5G era, everyone is a recorder and a sharer, demanding unprecedented shooting capabilities from their devices. As one of the top three domestic phone brands in sales, it’s only natural for vivo to create its own imaging brand, rather than constantly relying on partnerships with renowned names like Leica, Zeiss, and Hasselblad. In this regard, Huawei has been a pioneering leader for everyone in the industry.

Last week, Huawei officially announced the upgrade of its P series to the Pura series, with the Pura 70 becoming its inaugural model.

Following the launch of the Pura 70 series, Huawei is hurrying preparations for its Mate 70 series and Pura 80 series flagship products.

Rumors suggest the Huawei Pura 80 series will be equipped with OmniVision’s top sensor, the OV50X, boasting an extra-large light-sensitive component and supporting LOFIC technology.

Compared to the Sony IMX989 used in the Pura 70 Ultra, the OV50X has an upgraded logic circuit layer to a 22nm process. This change, akin to an upgrade in smartphone processor technology, results in significantly lower power consumption and the ability to accommodate more transistors (the Sony IMX989 uses a 40nm process).

The advanced 22nm process will greatly reduce power consumption during high-load video recording, allowing for longer and more stable shooting sessions.

Additionally, the OV50X features LOFIC technology, enabling the sensor to capture high-brightness information in scenes, making the captured images closer to real-life light and shadow effects.

Traditionally, the Huawei Pura 80 series is expected to be released in the first half of next year.

If Sony was once unrivaled in mobile photography, by 2024, more domestic smartphones are seen incorporating OmniVision sensors, gradually challenging Sony’s dominance. As the brand with the highest domestication rate, Huawei is undoubtedly the biggest winner of this shift. The Pura 70’s retractable main camera demonstrates Huawei’s continued innovative drive in imaging. If OmniVision can provide Huawei with stronger hardware support, Huawei’s return to the top spot in photography is only a matter of time!

Leaked information reveals that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen4 will be the first to utilize TSMC’s 3nm process, marking the Android camp’s entry into the 3nm era.

Apple led the transition to 3nm technology last year, with its A17 Pro chip featured in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.

TSMC has planned up to five 3nm processes: N3B, N3E, N3P, N3S, and N3X, with N3B being its first 3nm node used by the A17 Pro.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen4, debuting in October, will use TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process, N3E, which boasts better power efficiency and yield rates than N3B, making it more cost-effective.

Furthermore, the Snapdragon 8 Gen4 will introduce Qualcomm’s proprietary Nuvia architecture, moving away from the Arm public architecture solution, marking a significant shift in Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G SoC history.

Despite its strong performance, the Snapdragon 8 Gen4 is criticized for excessive power consumption due to high frequency settings, which are expected to be lowered in the mass production phase.

Even with the introduction of 3nm chips in Apple’s iPhones, there hasn’t been a significant display of remarkable functionalities. Indeed, Apple has ported AAA games like Resident Evil to mobile, but the gaming experience, neither visually nor performance-wise, has been impressive. The continual push for higher mobile performance now seems more about advancing for its own sake. While it could be argued that more powerful chips enhance photography and AI capabilities, the noticeable improvements are subtly branded by manufacturers as exclusive features not available on mid-range products.

This is why, in 2024, our focus shouldn’t merely be on the so-called chip performance. For instance, Samsung’s S series flagship models in China always utilize the latest Snapdragon processors, but does their user experience truly outshine mid-range domestic products?

According to international media, Samsung is taking a significant leap with its next-generation smartphone processor, the Exynos 2500, anticipated to outperform Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen4.

Insiders reveal that the Exynos 2500 will surpass its competitor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen4, in both energy efficiency and raw performance.

Samsung’s Exynos 2400 has already caught up with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen3.

The Exynos 2500, utilizing a 3nm process, will have an edge over the Snapdragon 8 Gen4, which is expected to continue using a 4nm process technique.

The Exynos 2500 will come in two flagship chipset variants: the Exynos 2500-A, designed for smartphones with an octa-core CPU, and the Exynos 2500-B, designed for tablets and Galaxy Book laptops with a more powerful deca-core CPU.

Additionally, there are rumors that Samsung might switch from using its own NPU to Google’s Tensor Processing Unit in its new chips, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.

As we’ve analyzed earlier, are performance issues with Samsung’s self-developed chips really the weakest link in their smartphones? From another perspective, would Samsung flagship models using the Orion processor outperform those with Qualcomm chips? The answers to both questions, as we all understand, are negative.