Something to look forward to: Back in October 2015, camera company Light introduced the L16, a "multi-aperture computational camera" that featured an array of 16 lenses to produce DSLR-quality images. According to the Washington Post, Light is working to bring its multiple-lens technology to smartphones.
With many flagships now featuring two lenses on the back, or three, in the case of Huawei's P20 Pro, it looks as if we'll see a smartphone with between five and nine cameras sometime this year.
The Post reports that Light has several working prototypes of these phones, one of which is shown above. The multiple lenses work simultaneously to capture an image, each at a different focal length. The separate photos are then stitched together into a single 64-megapixel shot. The company says its design also offers better low-light performance and sophisticated depth effects.
It's unclear whether Light will create the multi-lens phone itself, or if it is working with a current smartphone maker to bring the handset to market. Either way, it's set to be announced sometime this year. If the $1950 L16 (below) is anything to go by, the phone might appeal to photography fans but could come at a high price.
With cutting-edge tech comes heavy price tags. Samsung's foldable Galaxy X handset, which is another "future phone" found in the Post's article, is reported to launch next year and cost close to $2000. It's unlikely that Light's device will be quite as pricey, but expect it to be a several hundred dollars over a grand.