Tecno's Future Lens event reveals the next big evolution in AI photography technology

Tecno Unveils New AI-Powered Imaging Technology at Future Lens

Tecno's annual Future Lens event is where the smartphone maker reveals its latest imaging technology, usually focusing on camera technology, and this year it will integrate AI deeper into its imaging technology.

Like most modern technologies, AI is at the heart of it. Smartphone imaging technology continues to improve, and at Tecno's Future Lens event held at the company's manufacturing facility in Chongqing, China, the company unveiled three new AI image processing engines: Tecno Image Matrix, EVS Dynamic Shot technology, and AI Telephoto Dual Prism Tap Any Zoom technology.

Tecno Image Matrix

Tecno Image Matrix (TIM) is a new way of processing image data on smartphones. It uses a multi-layer structure to optimize every part of the image you take; essentially, this means that every photo you take will look perfect, no matter what the shooting environment is.

Now, that means more AI processing for your images. TIM's 4 layers work in the background but really help you not worry about whether that perfect moment in the photo is going to turn out the way you thought it would.

Tecno Image Matrix includes the following:

1. Hardware Foundation Layer : The starting point is still the actual hardware in your smartphone, such as sensors, lenses, processing packages, etc.
2. Deconstruction Layer : After capturing, the image will go to the "Deconstruction Layer", where a series of image refinement algorithms will start working on your captured image. These algorithms include color balance, color correction, image stabilization, etc.
3. Engine Reconstruction Layer : This is where Tecno's AI magic really starts to work, with 4 different AI imaging algorithms working simultaneously to deliver the perfect image.
   
   1. AI RAW is designed to improve images taken in low light or backlit conditions.
   2. AI SNAP focuses on reducing shutter speed lag and increasing shooting speed.
   3. AIGC Studio is an integrated image enhancement toolkit that can be applied to any image.
   4. AI UT (Universal Tone) is used to balance and restore skin tones, displaying accurate images of every subject.
4. Application Layer : Just like the Hardware Foundation, AI technology still needs an application to display your images. In this layer, you will also find different AI technologies, such as AI Image Studio with easy-to-use editing tools.

For those who want to take great photos without worrying about tweaking any settings, Tecno's deeper AI integration is definitely worth considering.

EVS Dynamic Snapshot

EVS Dynamic Snapshot is an interesting proposition for anyone who has ever tried to capture a moving subject and ended up with something more akin to Francis Bacon - a completely blurry color.

Lots of phones are capable of taking great burst shots, but Tecno's EVS Dynamic Snapshot is the next step for this imaging technology.

EVS Dynamic Snapshot solves the problem of blurry images by capturing the actual motion data of the subject. So instead of capturing each frame one by one, EVS locks the subject in the frame and uses AI algorithms to set the best image dynamic to highlight the action.

Tecno has used the idea of ​​trying to capture a race car zooming by at hundreds of miles per hour, which is much faster than you can hope to capture with a regular smartphone (and even some regular cameras). Instead, EVS Dynamic Snapshot captures the entire moment and then provides the perfect frame.

Tap Any Zoom Dual Prism Telephoto

Tecno's AI imaging suite is great, but have you ever wanted to zoom in on just a single part of an image without making it messy? Tecno's Tap Any Zoom Dual Prism Telephoto is just what you've been waiting for.

That said, this is the most interesting part of Tecno's new AI imaging technology. It basically makes the telephoto lens in smartphones much more useful with a new dual-prism design, lens-shift OIS, and AI algorithms that take incredibly sharp and accurate photos.

But that's not all. You can then double-tap to zoom in on any subject in the image, zooming in up to 30x while remaining incredibly clear. Combined with the dual-prism design, this means you can shoot 400MP photos with the ultra-wide angle or stitch them together with the telephoto sweep.

Being able to reframe an entire image without losing any detail is really cool and useful technology - people will definitely use it.

Tecno shows exactly how smartphones are made

As you can imagine, there are a lot of automated processes using specialized machinery that transform smartphones from raw frames to finished products.

But there are still many processes that require human intervention. Are the cameras working properly and calibrated perfectly out of the box? There is a person who checks that on every smartphone on the line. Same with other processes like charging, screen conductivity, etc.

So while the overall process involves automation, the level of human interaction will surprise you. You have to see it for yourself to see the extensive requirements that go into each smartphone.

There's nothing quite like seeing a brand new smartphone being shoved into a pressure tank and sprayed with water, only to see it come back to life like new. You probably already know your phone will be fine after being dropped in water, but seeing those tests up close certainly gives a new perspective on the level of testing our smartphones undergo before they reach the hands of our customers.

Jessica Tanner

Update 27 December 2024