As smartphone ‘form factors’ continue to remain increasingly homogenized, with not much to differentiate, smartphone brands are looking for new spec differentiators to define themselves in a hyper-competitive market. One such spec is the ‘Smartphone Camera’. As per data from recent CMR Mobile Industry Consumer Insights (MICI) Surveys, one of the key consideration for smartphone buyers remains the Smartphone Camera. As per the latest MICI Survey, 89% of those surveyed amongst millennials, indicated the Camera specs, as key for their smartphone purchase.

Most smartphone brands have been focused on driving value propositions around cameras, with the fight centered around megapixels. Given the megapixel war has reached a zenith, it is no wonder that smartphone brands are now looking at dual- and triple- camera set-ups as the next battleground.

A couple of years ago, dual camera smartphones became mainstream, with smartphone brands bringing dual cameras in the front and back of smartphones. While initially it was premium, we have now seen mass adoption of dual camera phones, across price bands, with various spec configurations.

Smartphones with single camera are a rarity these days. So, what do more cameras on a smartphone achieve?

Beyond messaging to potential consumers, more cameras will translate into significant quality enhancements in photography, compared to single-camera phones. Imagine cameras set at different focal lengths, apertures, and capturing multiple images for composite images. As a result of multiple cameras on phones, images will be more detailed, with improved low light performance, and sharper as well, with enhanced dynamic range.

So, what are the trends for multi-camera smartphones in India?

As per data from CMR India Mobile Handset Review Report, the market share of multi-camera smartphones has spiraled to a whopping 32% in 2018, from a mere 4% the year before.