Motorola’s take on future trends for smartphone video

What 5G means for video

Many experts expect great things from 5G, but are not sure exactly how it will be used and what it will mean until it’s more mature. Potentially, completely new industry applications like self-driving cars could be powered by 5G. One thing for sure is that smartphone usage will be influenced, and Rahul explains why video in specific is set to ride the 5G wave:

“One of the driving forces of 5G is faster speed, making it much easier to upload videos to the cloud or share them on the go. At Motorola, we have a strong belief that, as 5G becomes more prevalent in terms of coverage, users will demand video features more. This is why video is a use case we have been aiming to highlight increasingly as we roll out 5G-enabled handsets.”

The rise of the front camera

Traditionally, the rear camera on smartphones has been the primary focus, leaving the front camera somewhat of an afterthought. But now the front camera is starting to get more attention with the explosion of video conferencing accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. With data from a large user group, Motorola has been able to track this trend as it intensifies, and Rahul shares what has been found:

“Our usage data shows that the front camera is being used more than many might have expected, and we see a continuing rapid increase in front camera usage. This means that OEMs are generally underserving the front camera video market and presents an interesting opportunity for growth. We are responding to this by stepping up our efforts to create an excellent front camera capture experience.”

Dual capture – the next big thing with new challenges

Interlinked with the rise of the front camera, dual capture is a trend involving the simultaneous use of the front and rear cameras to create video from both sides. This provides a way for people to show their reactions and commentary through the front lens to what the rear lens of a phone is recording. For instance, vacations are a popular use case for dual capture. To meet this trend, Motorola has implemented dual capture in its 2021 flagship, the Moto G100. However, dual capture presents several new challenges for overall video performance, which Rahul sheds light on:

“The challenge of using both cameras simultaneously is that it puts greater pressure on thermals and battery life. This demands that the video stabilization process be highly efficient in terms of thermal performance and economical in battery consumption to avoid tipping the scales further in the wrong direction. Additionally, simultaneous cameras draw a lot more attention to video stabilization per se because you can clearly see if one camera is more stabilized and has better algorithms than the other. As a result, it will look more professional if they are stabilized in sequence.”

The need to double down on video stabilization

Video stabilization has a key role to play in meeting all of these trends and maintaining Motorola’s video performance leadership. Rahul sums up why increased video stabilization innovation is needed:

“In the near future, we will see a lot of higher zoom levels on the rear camera, which will increase the amount of shake exponentially. This, along with the dual capture challenges mentioned above, means there will be a need to double down on video stabilization in general going forward. Overall, we also see video increasing as a percentage of the capture experience. Therefore, we plan to stay aggressive in the video space and look forward to Imint’s continuing support in tackling these challenges from the video stabilization side.”

Read about how Motorola has revolutionized smartphone video performance with help from Imint’s Vidhance video enhancement platform in its 2020 and 2021 flagships, the Edge+ and the Moto G100. Contact Imint to discuss how to meet front camera video stabilization challenges with one of our video stabilization experts. For inspiration, insights and best practices for the next generation of video stabilization, enter your email address below and subscribe to our newsletter.