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Samsung might bring a game-changing camera upgrade to future Galaxy phones

By Tsveta Ermenkova

Published: Apr 30, 2025, 8:54 AM

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A photo of a person attaching Moment Wide 18mm lens to Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Galaxy S24 Ultra with Moment Wide 18mm lens. | Image credit – Moment

I’ve always been a fan of modular phones and just yesterday, I was daydreaming about how cool it would be if Samsung or Apple followed the footsteps of Nothing’s latest CMF Phone 2 Pro – you know, the one with modular add-ons like extra lenses. Well, it turns out Samsung might actually be cooking up something along those lines.

If you’ve ever wished your phone could swap lenses like a DSLR, you are not alone and Samsung might be getting ready to make that happen. A newly published patent suggests the company is exploring a modular camera system with attachable lenses.

The patent, spotted in the WIPO database, lays out a design with four key components: the phone’s housing, a swappable lens assembly, an image sensor and a motorized actuator to move the lens or sensor. It sounds technical, but the gist is simple – snap-on lenses that could drastically change your phone’s photography game.

Drawings from Samsung's patent. | Image credit – Samsung

This is actually something similar to what Vivo is doing with its latest X200 Ultra. That phone supports an optional 2.35x telephoto converter lens that magnetically snaps onto a special grip, turning its periscope camera into a true 8.7x zoom (or 200mm equivalent).

Vivo offers a detachable ~9x zoom lens for its X200 Ultra. | Image credit – Vivo

Samsung’s future take on modular lenses might include a rotating ring built into the lens itself – possibly for manual zoom control, though that is just speculation for now. Once attached, the phone could recognize the lens using a built-in magnet or even something like an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag to identify which lens is connected. There are a few ways the company could approach it.

Also, based on the patent, the lens assembly appears to be built-in, setting it apart from third-party solutions like the Moment Lens shown in the cover image. I mean, it would be great if these attachable lenses could work without needing a special case but that is probably a stretch, especially if Samsung wants the lenses to be compatible with multiple devices.

However, if it is made for just one model or a new lineup, Samsung could tweak the phone design to make everything fit perfectly. But going the accessory route – like Vivo did – seems more realistic.

Of course, this is all based on a patent for now. So yeah, it might never happen. But the exciting part? It just might.

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Tsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech. From being an early follower of PhoneArena to relying exclusively on her smartphone for photography, she embraces the immense capabilities of compact devices in our daily lives. With a Journalism degree and an explorative spirit, Tsveta not only provides expert insights into the world of gadgets and smartphones but also shares a unique perspective shaped by her diverse interests in travel, culture, and visual storytelling.

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