According to a Samsung patent published in April 2025, the Korean manufacturer is exploring a modular concept for its smartphones, in order to add various interchangeable photo lenses, such as digital SLRs.
Removable lens managed by the smartphone's photo application££££
The document describes a design with four key elements: the smartphone frame, an external photo lens, an internal image sensor and a motorization mechanism for the lens. To simplify, the external lens is easily attached and removed from the back of the smartphone, and the focus can be adjusted directly via the photo application which controls the lens motor.
Professional photo smartphone, a trend?££££
It is true that manufacturers like Xiaomi, Realme and Vivo have already tried this type of smartphone, but these remain for the most part confined to the Chinese market and do not enjoy great public success. Samsung's concept is similar, for example, to what we find in the very latest Vivo X200 Ultra (see photo above), with a 2.35x telephoto lens which attaches by magnet, to achieve a true 8.7x zoom.
Smartphone/removable lens, RFID communication££££
Samsung's patent explains that the smartphone recognizes the type of attached lens using RFID (radio frequency identification) wireless communication, and automatically adjusts the settings accordingly. Of course, remember that a patent is not formal proof of the arrival of a product, even though it gives an idea of what is going on behind the scenes, usually secretive, of a major manufacturer.
