Mobile

Smartphone cameras have become one of the main ways everyday people capture photos and document life, and even professional photographers may use phones to shoot paid work. PetaPixel covers the latest news and information on how smartphones are transforming the way photographs are made.
A sleek black smartphone with dual rear cameras lies diagonally on a dark surface, intersected by metallic red bars and red laser-like lines, creating a futuristic and stylish composition.

Redesigned OnePlus 15 Ditches Hasselblad for a Brand-New Triple Camera System

The OnePlus 15 has arrived, ushering in a new era for the major Chinese smartphone company. The latest flagship phone marks the end of OnePlus' Hasselblad partnership, but instead of starting a new strategic collaboration with a different photo company, OnePlus is going it alone with a brand-new in-house mobile photography system: DetailMax Engine.

A person holds a vintage-style camera up to their face, preparing to take a photo. The camera’s lens is circled in red, drawing attention to it. The background is blurred, focusing on the person and camera.

The Nubia Z80 Ultra Smartphone Looks Like a Vintage Camera

A few weeks ago, PetaPixel reported on a series of Chinese smartphones with interesting photography-oriented kits and accessories, including the then-upcoming Nubia Z80 Ultra. That impressive new smartphone and its accompanying camera kit have been launched globally today, and the photo capabilities on offer are well worth a closer look.

A black compact camera and a white smartphone with triple rear cameras are displayed side by side on a textured gray surface against a minimalist background.

Innovative Realme GT8 Pro Smartphone Has Ricoh GR DNA

Earlier this month, Chinese smartphone maker Realme (stylized "realme") announced a strategic partnership with Ricoh Imaging, promising the mobile industry's "deepest imaging collaboration in street photography." The fruits of the partnership were revealed this week with the Realme GT8 Pro, which sports a customizable camera island and significant Ricoh GR influence throughout.

A smartphone screen displays a social media app interface with a feed of group selfies, icons for navigation at the bottom, and profile stories in circles across the top.

PicSee Solves the Problem of Friends Not Sending You Photos

How often do people go out with friends, take a bunch of photos, and then forget to share them? It's a common problem: many people have dozens, if not hundreds, of images of their friends and family on their phones that they just never sent. Others have to hound their friends to get the photos they want. A new photo-sharing app PicSee aims to solve this problem from both sides automatically.

A close-up of a smartphone with a robotic camera module attached on top. The words "Honor Robot Phone" appear on the left side of the image. The background is plain and light-colored.

Honor’s ‘Robot Phone’ Has a Pop Out Gimbal Camera

Honor has announced that it is developing a smartphone with a camera that extends from the device using a robotic arm. For now, there's only a bizarre, mostly AI-generated video of the phone but the company says it will share additional details at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next year.

On the left, a hand holds a smartphone with a glowing abstract design on the screen. On the right, four young women smile and pose for a selfie on a sunny beach with cliffs and a pink-striped towel behind them.

How and Why Apple Built Its New Square Center Stage Front iPhone Camera

While each of Apple's latest iPhone models has a different rear camera system, they all feature the same brand-new Center Stage front-facing, or "selfie," camera. The base iPhone 17, ultra-thin iPhone Air, and flagship iPhone 17 Pro all have the same Center Stage camera, complete with its groundbreaking square image sensor and sophisticated new features. We sat down with key minds at Apple to learn more about the new camera and how it empowers mobile photography.

Three smartphones with editing apps open, displaying vibrant photos: a cityscape, a surfer holding a board, and a person with a dog at sunset. Editing controls and adjustment sliders are visible on each screen.

Luminar Mobile 2.0 for Android Brings Smarter, Faster Photo Editing

Skylum has officially released Luminar Mobile for Android Version 2.0, introducing a bevy of new features designed to make mobile photo editing more intuitive, flexible, and efficient. With this update, Android users gain access to professional-grade tools previously reserved for desktop applications, right in the palm of their hand.

A close-up of a black iPhone placed on a white surface, showing the Apple logo and part of the word "iPhone" on the back.

Did You Know That There Are Camera-Less iPhones?

For most iPhone owners, the smartphone's cameras are a massive draw. However, as a recent post on Reddit shows, for those who work in sensitive industries, their iPhone may not even have a camera at all. There's an entire specialized industry focused on stripping the camera systems from Apple's handhelds.

Four Xiaomi smartphones are displayed side by side in black, white, purple, and green colors. Each phone shows its back, featuring dual rear cameras and a large square module with a digital clock design.

Xiaomi is Obsessed With Proving It’s Better Than Apple


It's typical for Android smartphone makers to compare their latest products against the Apple iPhone. However, Chinese company Xiaomi has taken the rhetoric up a notch -- or two -- with its new Xiaomi 17 series, which comprises the Xiaomi 17, Xiaomi 17 Pro, and Xiaomi 17 Pro Max.

Close-up of a blue smartphone’s rear camera module, featuring three large camera lenses and a smaller sensor in a circular array. There is a red stylized logo or signature near the camera on the phone’s back.

OnePlus’ Next Flagship Smartphone Ditches Hasselblad’s Cameras

OnePlus teased its newest flagship phone, the OnePlus 15, at today's Snapdragon Summit China, revealing two key pieces of information. The new handheld will be powered by the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, and it will feature a new camera system that ditches Hasselblad's engineering and participation.

A close-up view of the rear camera module on a gold-colored smartphone, featuring multiple lenses and "Leica" branding. The bottom left corner displays the PetaPixel Reviews logo.

Xiaomi 15T Pro Review: Great Leica Cameras That Inch Forward

The Xiaomi 15T Pro and 15T are driven by their cameras and Leica co-engineering, and continue to outperform established competitors in North America. As these are global launches, obtaining either of these still requires importing them from online vendors. Or, if you happen to be in Europe, Asia, or one of the other available markets, buy it and bring it back.

A smartphone mounted in a filming rig displays a person in an orange jacket on a snowy mountain. Below, various video and audio cables are connected to a compact black device with multiple ports and controls.

Blackmagic’s New Camera ProDock Supercharges Pro iPhone Filmmaking

During the iPhone 17 Pro segment of Apple's keynote yesterday, the company revealed that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max smartphones now support genlock, which helps filmmakers keep multiple video sources in sync. While discussing this, Apple showed the new Blackmagic Design Camera ProDock accessory for professional videographers, and it promises to power up the iPhone 17 Pro series in a big way.

A smiling man holds up a blue iPhone with three cameras; the background features circular lights and a "PetaPixel Hands-On" sign.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro First Impressions: Huge Upgrades for Photo and Video

Apple unveiled its iPhone 17 family today, including the much-improved iPhone 17, the ultra-thin iPhone Air, and the redesigned flagship iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. The PetaPixel team flew to Apple Park in Cupertino to witness the unveiling and go hands-on with the new-look iPhone 17 Pro, and there is much to like for photographers and videographers alike.

A thin smartphone is shown from the side, flanked by stylized letters “A” and “R,” highlighting its slim profile against a white background.

All-New Ultra-Thin iPhone Air Doesn’t Totally Skimp on Photography

Apple has officially unveiled the iPhone Air, the newest member of its flagship smartphone lineup, which also includes the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max. Positioned between the standard and Pro models, the Air emphasizes thinness, portability, and design innovation while still carrying many of Apple’s latest performance and camera technologies.

Two smartphones are shown: the left phone in a beige and black case with an attached camera lens accessory, and the right phone in a black case with the Apple logo and visible MagSafe ring.

The Audacity of Case Makers Flaunting the iPhone 17 Has Me Suspicious

Last week, I received multiple emails from different case makers showing supposed designs for the iPhone 17 series. Then this week, that ramped up to Dbrand, Moment, UGreen, and basically every case maker at IFA showing the same thing, all flaunting the same design. Apple is historically excellent at keeping a secret, so what changed this year?

White logo resembling a camera lens above the text "Camera Intelligence" with the tagline "Building the camera of the future" on a dark gradient background with grid lines.

Camera Intelligence, Formerly Alice Camera, Pivots to AI

Camera Intelligence, which most will know by its former name, Alice Camera, is slightly adjusting its business model. Rather than focusing on Micro Four Thirds or the fact that control of its camera system is handled through an attached smartphone, Camera Intelligence is pivoting to AI.

Close-up of the rear camera module on a white smartphone with three lenses and a flash, featuring a "PetaPixel Reviews" banner in the bottom right corner.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Review for Photographers: The Most Minor Update Yet

Smartphone season is here, and, as usual, Google is starting things off. The Pixel 10 series has arrived, and although a telephoto lens has now been added to the base model, we prefer to evaluate the highest-end Pro series for its creative photo and video usage. At first glance, the specs and hardware look almost unchanged from the previous models. So is new software enough, or is this the most iterative update Google has ever released?