'Handshakes' change the trend of mobile photography
Nokia and Zeiss can be considered the two companies that started the trend of upgrading the photography experience on phones. Nokia in its heyday cooperated in camera research with Zeiss, marking a new direction for the smartphone era. The duo's subsequent product launches were mostly successful in terms of photography, but Nokia entered a recession, causing the Zeiss name to fade, in terms of photography on smartphones. Sony and then Vivo later shook hands with Zeiss.
Hasselblad, one of the high-end and money-making brands in the camera world, also experienced relationships with Motorola (making separate accessories), then OnePlus and Oppo. Previously, Oppo had "put all its trust" in Schneider Kreuznach but soon went their separate ways.
Nokia once "overwhelmed" the technology world when it joined hands with Zeiss to upgrade the photography experience right on the phone.
A familiar brand to many Vietnamese people as well as the world photography community, Leica, also joined hands with Huawei and most recently Xiaomi to change the mobile photography experience for customers.
All of the above pairings mostly bring resonance to both sides as well as a consumer push for the market, opening up a new competitive trend among the world's leading smartphone manufacturers when the digital race is "ending". ” on the camera as well as the terribleness of the configuration gradually becomes saturated. Even names like Vivo and Xiaomi rose in the global market thanks to this decision to change.
Disintegration of alliances
As mentioned above, Nokia and Zeiss started the trend but soon parted ways because the Finnish phone brands were no longer able to sustain in the harsh market. Even when it belonged to HMD Global, Nokia struggled and gradually came to an end. Zeiss is currently successful with Vivo, but according to a reliable leak source, the duo may not be together for long after the partnership will end later this year.
Hasselblad is still the lens brand that appears on OnePlus/Oppo smartphones. However, leaker Yogesh Brar revealed that there is a high possibility that the two sides will stop cooperating because "they do not bring enough improvements in cameras". Meanwhile, the contract between Leica and Huawei has been in an open state since Huawei was embargoed by the US, causing this smartphone brand to almost disappear globally.
Some sources believe that smartphone companies are preparing for their own photography brands and are ready to stop cooperation as soon as the old alliance contract expires.
Bright spots remain in the trend
If the leaked sources are correct, by the end of this year, only Leica and Xiaomi will remain "shining" in the combined trend. The German photography company joined hands with Xiaomi in May 5 with the first product being the Xiaomi 2022S Ultra smartphone, equipped with a 12 MP main lens. In early 50, the manufacturer duo impressed the technology world after launching the high-end Xiaomi 2023 smartphone line, greatly improving its photography capabilities.
Xiaomi – Leica may be the only remaining pair on the market after 2024.
According to market research firm GfK, despite competing in the high-end segment, Xiaomi 13 still achieved the third market share and led in growth rate in the first month of sale. That success creates confidence for both Xiaomi and Leica to continue with the Xiaomi 3 generation with Vario-Summilux lenses. In particular, the Light Fusion 14 image sensor is available for the first time on a smartphone to help improve light capture.
In addition to lenses, Leica also offers partners its exclusive Authentic Look and Vibrant Look color filters, which help bring a better photography experience and do not "contend" with other devices.
The development of artificial intelligence (AI) in the last 2 years has also significantly contributed to the process of changing the appearance of smartphone photography. Advanced algorithms help mobile devices improve shooting speed and image processing capabilities, especially on devices equipped with specialized AISP chips for this purpose.
AI features such as portrait photography, automatic library search, editing, image reconstruction (enlarge frame, delete redundant details or unwanted objects)... also contribute positively to success. of Xiaomi and Leica, opening up opportunities for both to go far in a market context that always requires constantly improved experiences.
