LG patents phone with 16 cameras, the software to use them

LG has filed a patent that describes the potential features of future smartphones, including an array of 16 cameras. What’s interesting about them (other than the number) is that they will not lie flat on the back.

The company envisions a 4 x 4 array of cameras arranged at an angle (making the array concave or convex). This way each camera sees the scene from a different angle. A photo can then be stitched from the image taken by several cameras.

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An example given in the patent is photographing people and replacing the face of each person in the frame with the angle that looks best. The software will even be able to use a face from a photo taken previously.

Since it would be a waste not to use this 16 camera array to take selfies, LG suggests placing a mirror near the camera, an old school solution. Alternatively, there may be a second display. A selfie camera will still be on board as it’s useful for things like video calls.

The patent suggests other ideas too, like a loudspeaker on the back. Combined with a loudspeaker on the front, it will make for wide stereo sound.