8K video recording is rumored to be coming to many 2020 flagship phones, but what does it actually look like?
Qualcomm has taken the prototype phone to various locations in Arizona such as the Grand Canyon and Horseshoe Bend and filmed the video footage below of which it is stuck on YouTube. YouTube can handle 8K video although they note that it won't appear in 8K by default - it will most likely appear in HD.
- What phones in 5G have launched or are coming in 2020?
The prototype phone was based on Qualcomm's new top-of-the-line Snapdragon 865 platform and uses Sony's IMX586 image sensor, which we've also seen in many 2019 phones like the OnePlus 7 Pro and Oppo Reno 10x zoom.
Onboard the Snapdragon 865 chipset, the 480 image spectrum of the signals is what makes 8K capture possible - it can process up to 2 gigapixels of information per second (two billion pixels per second, in other words).
The Spectra 480 also supports Dolby Vision HDR video capture, up to slo-mo and 960fps - make it up to 200-megapixel photos. Obviously the sensors don't exist yet, but still.
There are a few issues with 8K video playback, mainly you probably didn't get an 8K monitor on your computer or phone, and you probably didn't get an 8K TV or monitor (if you will).
Playing an 8K plot also requires you to have a very sturdy device - a lot of computers will struggle to make the footage.
However, it's an interesting flavor that's not coming - we're waiting to hear about the first 8K-capable launches during Mobile World Congress 2020.