For years, smartphone makers like Apple and Samsung have struggled with the same trade-off: better cameras meant thicker modules, and that meant the now-familiar rear camera bump.
The issue comes down to physics. Wide-angle lenses need space, and stacking them inside slim phones has always led to that raised bump on the back.
New research could change how phone cameras are built
Now, researchers at KAIST say they may have found a way around it. Their latest breakthrough achieves a 140-degree field of view, similar to an ultra-wide smartphone camera, without the lens protruding from the device.
Instead of bulky stacked lenses, the system keeps the thickness down to just 1mm, roughly the size of a coin. That opens the door for completely flat-backed smartphones without sacrificing camera performance.
The innovation doesn’t follow conventional camera design. Instead, it takes cues from a tiny parasite called Xenos peckii.
This insect uses multiple small visual units to capture parts of a scene, which are then combined into a full image. Researchers replicated this idea, allowing the camera to capture wide angles and great detail without needing deep, bulky lenses.
More than just smartphones
While the headline impact is obvious, slimmer, cleaner phones, the technology goes beyond that. The same system could be used in medical tools like endoscopes, as well as wearables and even micro-robots, where space is extremely limited.
So, this isn’t just a concept stuck in a lab. The research team has already transferred the technology to MicroPix, which is now working towards commercial production.
If things move as planned, the first real-world applications could start appearing as early as next year.
For smartphone users, that could mean the end of one of the biggest design compromises in modern devices.
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