Huawei P9 + P9 Plus hands-on: Dual cameras in Huawei’s new high-end duo

Huawei’s latest high-end phone aims to prove that two cameras are better than one.

The concept of two cameras in a smartphone isn’t new. In the Android world, the trend dates all the way back to the dark ages of 3D phones, with manufacturers like HTC and LG using dual cameras to take 3D images or produce depth-dependent effects. Even Huawei got on the dual-camera bandwagon with 2014’s Honor 6 Plus.

The Huawei P9 — the Chinese company’s latest high-end offering — goes about things a little differently. The phone is the first developed through Huawei’s partnership with German optics Leica, and uses a monochrome sensor behind one lens in addition to a full color sensor behind the other. It’s an approach which, combined with a “co-engineered” lens system and a revamped camera app influenced by Leica, has Huawei hoping it can differentiate through photography.

We’ve taken a quick look at the P9 and P9 Plus ahead of their launch event in London. And here’s what we found.

Moving pictures

Huawei P9 hands-on video

It’s a phone, first

Huawei P9 hardware

But first, the basics of the actual phone. Like the P8 before it, the P9 is sturdy and metallic all over, with a flat back punctuated by reflective chamfers. The front houses its 5.2-inch Full HD IPS display — a notable improvement from the P8 in the flesh, even if the numbers are pretty much the same.

Two cameras: one monochrome, one color, should allow for brighter pics.

At 5.2 inches, the P9 is large enough to offer an enjoyable big-screen experience without being excessively hefty, and even with a frame measuring just 6.95mm thick, Huawei has packed in an ample 3,000mAh battery.

So we’re not dealing with a battery behemoth like the Mate 8, but Huawei still promises a day and a half of heavy use from the P9’s internal cell, and the numbers are there to back up this assertion. And in a step up from Mate 8, the P9 packs a new, higher-clocked Kirin 955 CPU, which also includes some ISP (image signal processor) enhancements to make use of the P9’s dual camera setup. That’s backed up by 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, expandable by up to 128GB via microSD. (There’s a more expensive version with 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, but look for the 32GB/3GB configuration to be the main seller.)

And in a first for Huawei, the P9 includes the latest USB Type-C port, putting it in line with the cutting edge of current Android phones.

So back to that unique collection of photographic hardware. In addition to color and monochrome 12-megapixel sensors — without OIS, we should note — the P9 packs dual-tone LED flash and a laser autofocus system. This means the phone can focus using a combination of both individual cameras and the laser AF, presumably resulting in quicker snaps.

Although there’s no optical stabilization included, Huawei reps in London today insisted its new camera setup doesn’t need it. That’s because both sensors feature 1.25-micron pixels, and due to its unique monochrome-only sensor, it’s claimed, it can suck in more light than the equivalent regular smartphone camera. The P9’s camera system can produce 200% brighter images with a 50% improvement in contrast, it’s claimed, bringing it up to an equivalent pixel size of 1.76-microns. (By comparison Samsung’s Galaxy S7 features 1.4-micron pixels, and Huawei’s own Nexus 6P uses a sensor with 1.55-micron pixels.)

The partnership with Leica brings changes to Huawei’s camera app.

On the software side, Huawei’s camera app is still rich in features, with a bewildering number of modes accessible with a swipe upwards from the bottom of the screen. And thanks to the Leica partnership, there’s a new Pro mode that can be activated with a swipe left, giving finer control over ISO, shutter speeds and other settings. What’s more, the low depth of field mode from the Honor 6 Plus makes a return, letting P9 owners simulate very-low-depth-of-field in images, based on software processing and data from the two cameras. The bottom level for this setting is f/0.95, at which backgrounds are utterly obliterated — though because software is involved we did notice some potential for the edges of the subject to become blurred as well.

Elsewhere in the software space, the P9 ships with Android 6.0 Marshmallow (the units we demoed were running the March 2016 security patch) and Huawei’s latest EMUI 4.1 software. We’ll have to wait until we’ve spent more time with the P9 series in order to get a feel for what’s new, but for the most part it looks like minor tweaks to a familiar software experience. If you’re not on board with Huawei’s way of doing phone software, there’s little here to change your mind. But for better or worse, at least you’ll know what you’re getting.

In addition, Huawei will offer a larger P9 Plus in Europe and Asia — this model will include a larger 5.5-inch AMOLED display at the same Full HD resolution, along with 4GB of RAM, a larger 3,400mAh battery and an integrated IR blaster.

Both P9 models will ship later this month, Huawei says, with pricing to be announced at today’s London launch event. The company has not yet announced any plans to launch either P9 variant in the United States.

Huawei P9 and P9 Plus camera gallery: This is what the dual-lens smartphones can do

Huawei has taken the smartphone world by storm thanks to its P9 and P9 Plus dual-camera system. This was developed with Leica to create smartphone photos like no others before.

The Huawei P9 and P9 Plus feature dual 12-megapixel cameras with an f/0.95 low for what should be stunning low light photography anyway. Combine that with one colour and one monochrome sensor, one for each lens, and you should end up with stunning photography in any light.

The distance between the two camera lenses should mean that creating shots with greater depth of field is possible. That should result in shots with levels of blur in the background comparable to full cameras.

The camera also offers dual tone flash, laser autofocus but no OIS. This is apparently not needed thanks to 1.25-micron pixel sensors and that monochrome one that’s able to absorb more light.

The photos in the above gallery were shot using the Huawei P9 sent in via EyeEM. These show off how the system works in very low light situations, those with background blur and daily colour filled scenes. Check out what it has to offer above.

READ: Huawei P9 and P9 Plus bring twin Leica cameras in powerful slim bodies

Huawei’s P9 flagship phone has a Leica-endorsed dual camera

Thanks to its affordable and often feature-packed devices, Huawei has firmly entrenched itself as the third biggest smartphone manufacturer behind Apple and Samsung. Over the past six months or so, the company has added new handsets to its bigger-screened Mate range and it’s crafted the Nexus 6P on Google’s behalf. But, it’s time to turn attentions back to the flagship P series. It’s been a year since the P8 debuted, after all, so it’s with barely any surprise whatsoever that we welcome the Huawei P9 today. Or the P9 family, we should say.

At first glance, the P9 doesn’t look a whole lot different to its predecessor, the P8. Slightly less angular, a hair thicker at 6.95mm (versus 6.4mm), but not particularly adventurous in its design. Not that there’s anything wrong with Huawei’s formula. The P9 is thin, light, extremely well-built and clad in aluminum, giving it a premium-y vibe. An almost edge-to-edge display dominates the front of the device, but there’s no real upgrade in this department. Like the P8, the P9 sports a 5.2-inch IPS panel with full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080).

There are a few visible details that speak of the bells and whistles Huawei has added to the P9. You won’t find a fingerprint sensor on the back of the P8, for example, or a USB Type-C port on its bottom edge. Most importantly, the P8 doesn’t have two rear-facing cameras like the P9, but more on that later.

The P9 is powered by Huawei’s latest Kirin 955 octa-core processor — four 2.5GHz and four 1.8GHz cores — paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. A 64GB model will also be available, but only in China. Not that it really matters, since the P9 supports microSD cards of up to 128GB. The P9 draws from a 3,000mAh battery, which is apparently good for a day and a half of frequent use. That takes care of the all the key specs, so it’s time to move onto the P9’s key selling point: its dual rear cameras.

The P9 is Huawei’s first device produced under its partnership with Leica. What does that mean, exactly? Well, apart from the German company’s name on the back of the handset, the P9 has “Leica-approved” lenses. It’s important to note, however, these aren’t manufactured by Leica. Huawei also worked with the company to redesign its camera app, but that’s kind of where Leica’s involvement ends.

Outfitting the P9 with two rear cameras was Huawei’s doing — and something it’s done before. The P9 pairs two 12-megapixel sensors (1.25µm pixel size), one monochrome and one color. Huawei’s Honor 6 Plus used two color sensors, and like HTC’s Duo Camera arrangement, was useful for adding effects and manipulating the depth of field of images. You can still do all this with the P9, of course, including changing focus and background blur after the fact.

According to Huawei, switching one out for a monochrome sensor is good for two reasons. Firstly, you can take raw black-and-white images, which should look a lot more detailed and natural compared with a filtered image. Really, though, the monochrome sensor’s main job is to improve color images with extra contrast and lighting data.

Developing…

3D projections turn trees into divinities

That is not a photoshop, it’s the work of French photographer Clément Briend.

Shot for the series Cambodian Trees, the image was created by using multiple projectors to turn trees in Phnom Penh, Cambodia into light sculptures. Briend’s 3D projections are created quite organically. He starts with an idea, and then slowly works on the projection points by hand until what you see above takes shape. The sculptures (the whole series is available on his site) depict divinities and other supernatural beings.

Animism and magic are part of Cambodian — and much of South East Asian — culture, and Cambodian Trees plays with those themes. By casting these forms onto trees within urban landscapes, Briend connects the natural with the magical, and the city to the spiritual.

The Big Picture is a recurring feature highlighting beautiful images that tell big stories. We explore topics as large as our planet, or as small as a single life, as affected by or seen through the lens of technology.

Source: DiBari & Associates

Nuheara’s wireless earbuds can also enhance hearing

At what point does something officially become a trend? For truly wireless earbuds, I’m calling it now. Nuheara is the latest company to enter into the fray, with its IQbuds: a pair that blends ideas from Bragi’s music and fitness-focused Dash, and Here’s “active listening” experience. The product is currently on Indiegogo, but the category continues to be popular, with IQbuds already raising double its funding goal in 24 hours (Bragi raised millions, Here tripled its goal). I’ve tried both the Dash, and Here buds, both of which have positives and negatives. IQbuds — on paper at least — seems to take the best of both, and roll it all into one, or, er two earbuds.

So what do IQbuds actually do? Plenty. It’s a Bluetooth headset for your phone. It lets you listen to music and media (unlike Here). It has active noise cancelling so you can enjoy some quiet time, and the same technology can be used to give your hearing a boost, or focus on voices in noisy environments. Nuhear also claims it has the transparency feature that I enjoyed so much on Bragi’s Dash — so you can blend music and ambient for better awareness. The touch-controlled IQbuds also promise a four-hour battery life and charging case just like the Dash and Here do.

Perhaps just as important is what IQbuds don’t do. There’s no onboard storage for music, or sensors for fitness tracking like there on the Dash. There’s also no focus on modifying live music like there is with Here. IQbuds will let you tweak the sound around you — add more bass/cut high frequencies etc. — but Nuheara didn’t bother with things like the “60s” or “8-track” musical presets that Here has. IQbuds also let you change ambient sound for each ear individually. This might sound weird, but for someone with high frequency loss of hearing on one side, or similar, it’s potentially very helpful.

When I tried Bragi’s $299 Dash, I enjoyed the music and wireless experience, but the fitness tracking component felt incomplete. As for Here, the active noise cancelling was really the standout use case, but at $250, that made them an expensive proposition unless you were really into adding echo and other effects to ambient noise. IQbuds are expected to cost $299 when they hit shelves hopefully in December; the early bird price is currently $179. With not much difference in the price, the main thing going for IQbuds is the no-nonsense feature set. To truly win the wireless battle, they’ll need to deliver on audio quality and user experience.

Source: Indiegogo, Nuheara

Facebook Rolls Out New Video Discovery Tab With Heavy Focus on Live Broadcasts

Facebook today announced a dedicated segment of its popular iOS and Android app will find a renewed focus on both live and pre-recorded videos, taking the place of the Messenger button which sent users to that separate private messaging app. The social network’s main focus in the new hub will be on starting up your own live videos, or joining in on another, but Facebook hopes the new feature makes it easier to find videos in general rather than just scrolling across them in a feed, which has been the case in the past.

The company launched Facebook Live late last summer through its Mentions app, only to a handful of celebrities, and is now ready to begin a widespread rollout in the proper Facebook app. Facebook has introduced a few new features in the launch, as well, including the ability to launch a live video within a specific Facebook Group or Event.

“Live in Groups” lets users begin a live video that will only notify the people in a specific group, “so you can go live in your family group, or share a workout plan in a fitness group.” Alternatively, “Live in Events” means those part of an RSVP event can get exclusive live video from a performer ahead of the scheduled event, or a user could share video from a party to those who couldn’t make it. The company is also introducing a new metric analyzing feature, aimed at publishers and media companies, that lets broadcasters parse the fluctuating statistics of viewers during a video with various charts and graphs.

With the new update, Facebook will accommodate the growing popularity of interactive comments and filters into its live videos, much like Periscope and Snapchat. When someone begins a live video, viewers can use the company’s six new “Reactions,” and post written comments, to show how they feel about a video, which will pop up and disappear Periscope-style at the bottom of the video. The initial rollout will introduce five “Live Filters,” but future updates will implement the ability to doodle on your video in real-time, as well.

All of these video features will be found in the new hub on the central tab at the bottom of the Facebook app, where users will be able to invite friends to live videos, start their own broadcast, and browse video content posted by friends and pages they follow. The social network is going one step further on its desktop experience, with a new Facebook Live Map that gives an overall visual summation of Facebook Live broadcasts happening live around the world. The live video feature will be available in more than 60 countries after its first rollout.

No specifics were given regarding the size of the population of Facebook users who might see the update beginning today, but the company mentioned that the Live Video discovery tab will be available to all users on iOS and Android “over the coming weeks.”

Tag: Facebook
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Foxconn to Develop OLED Displays Following Sharp Takeover

Following multiple reports claiming Apple will release its first OLED-based iPhone as early as 2017, DigiTimes Research says that Apple manufacturer Foxconn will develop AMOLED displays through its recent investment in troubled Japanese electronics maker Sharp.

Sharp will set up one 4.5G and two 6G AMOLED production lines with monthly capacity of 13,000, 11,500 and 34,500 glass substrates respectively, with total monthly capacity of 9.85 million 5.5-inch equivalent panels.

Given its longstanding relationship with Apple, the move could position Foxconn as a frontrunner among AMOLED display suppliers for iPhones. Recent reports said Apple was closing in on deals with Samsung and LG, while AU Optronics and Japan Display are also rumored candidates for orders in 2017 or 2018.

AU Optronics, Japan Display, LG, and Sharp have all supplied Apple with LCD displays for current or previous iPhones.

Last month, oft-reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple is planning an all-new iPhone featuring a curved 5.8-inch AMOLED display for debut in 2017. Kuo noted that, if supplies are sufficient, Apple would launch a 4.7-inch LCD-based iPhone paired with the new 5.8-inch AMOLED iPhone as a Plus-sized model.

While some have expressed skepticism about Apple releasing a larger 5.8-inch iPhone, one possibility is that the screen wraps around the sides of the device akin to Samsung’s Galaxy S7 Edge. Apple holds patents for wraparound screens, and the design lines up nicely when applied to the height of a 5.5-inch iPhone.

Rumors suggest that the iPhone 7 series will have iterative designs compared to the current iPhone 6s lineup, meaning that Apple is likely saving its major design change for 2017. Nevertheless, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will likely have many notable differences, headlined by the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Tags: Foxconn, digitimes.com, Sharp, AMOLED, OLED
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Facebook Live gets a discovery section and instant reactions

Facebook Live is looking to tap its billion-plus user advantage and built-in social and group features to gain an edge on rivals like Periscope. As such, it has revealed live streaming within groups and events, real-time reactions, invitations to watch video with friends and a live map showing video in 60 countries. Later today, the social network will launch the service in LA (on Facebook Live, of course) with appearances by Mark Zuckerberg and product chief Chris Cox. If you’ve been using Live, Facebook will give you a heads-up as to when to tune in to the broadcasts.

The biggest and most logical feature is the ability to broadcast live within groups and events. If you’re putting on a concert, race or charitable event, for example, it makes infinite sense to be able to stream key moments to a ready-made captive audience. The feature will let friends and family who are subscribed but can’t make it in person can still experience the fun at a distance. Creators also get five new Instagram-like filters, and Facebook will soon let you doodle directly onto live video.

If you feel the need to express yourself without commenting, Facebook took a page from Periscope with live reactions for videos. As shown above, you can drop in one of the new emoticons (love, haha, wow, sad or angry) with each popping up on the screen in real time. In addition, if you can’t catch a video live, you’ll see comments and reactions pop up during the replay as if it were real-time.

On the discovery side, Facebook unveiled “Live Video Destinations” on mobile. That’s a dedicated section where you can find popular streams and live video from friends or folks and topics you’re interested in. It lets you search live and recorded videos and stream your own instantly with a “go live” button. Desktop users, meanwhile, get “Facebook Live Map,” a button that helps you find live video in 60 countries around the world. If you want watch with a friend, every stream now gets an “invite” button, as well.

Facebook may have jumped late into live video well after rivals like YouTube, Periscope and Meerkat, but it’s certainly a high priority now. The company pushes live video to the top of your feeds and notifies you about new streams, though you can now turn those off, thankfully. With product head Chris Cox and Zuck himself involved in the latest feature push, though, expect Facebook Live streams to become an even larger part of your feeds, like it or not. The features will roll out over the next few weeks.

ICYMI: Brightest X-ray laser, 3D printing cartilage and more

Today on In Case You Missed It: Stanford’s National Accelerator Laboratory is upgrading a laser beam to make it the brightest X-ray laser in the world, enabling all sorts of as-yet unseen science. Popular Chinese phone maker Xiaomi makes a ceramic-backed phone that appears to be near indestructible. And medical researchers are using patient-derived, stem-cell cartilage to repair joints by 3D-drawing them when doing surgery, rather than harvest existing cartilage from elsewhere on the body.

We’d also like to share this video of the cutest little BB-8 cosplay artist. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.

Moleskine’s latest pen and notebook instantly digitize scribbles

Moleskine’s sketchbooks and pads have been a top choice for doodlers and notetakers for quite some time. The company also dabbled in the gadget world, including co-branded products with Adobe, Livescribe and Evernote that digitize physical drawings and notes with ease. That same idea is carried over in Moleskine’s latest product: The Smart Writing Set. The setup is comprised of a paper notebook (or Paper Tablet as the company calls it), the aluminum Pen+ and a mobile app. All three of those pieces work together to instantly digitize any notes and illustrations made on paper so that they can be easily edited with software on a phone, tablet or computer.

Moleskine’s Pen+ is the main attraction of the Smart Writing Set. The writing instrument has a built-in camera and tech from Neolab to capture all of those marks as the tip hits the paper. That Paper Tablet, named for its tablet-like edges and thickness, holds paper with an invisible grid that helps with the conversion process. Those notes and drawings are then beamed over to the Notes App on iOS for safekeeping. Don’t worry Android users, there’s mobile software on the way for you, too. If you’d rather work without being connected to a phone or tablet, the Smart Writing Set can store up to 1,000 pages in its analog mode. And yes, written text is converted to editable copy so you won’t have to retype it.

As you might expect, there are a number of options for sharing and exporting whatever you put on paper. Marking a check on the envelope in the top right corner of each page lets you quickly send notes and sketches via email. You can also opt to save files to Google Drive and Evernote or export them for use in apps like Adobe’s software suite. If you’re looking to give it a go, the Smart Writing Set will cost you $199 for the pen and the notebook. When you fill up all of those pages, extra Paper Tablets are priced at $30 each.