Apple Should Steal These Android Camera Tricks for the iPhone 18 Pro
A CNET editor argues Apple could improve the iPhone 18 Pro by borrowing camera ideas already found on top Android phones.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
This commentary says the iPhone 17 Pro already ranks among the best phone cameras, but Apple still has room to push further. The author points to Android features like larger LOFIC sensors, continuous optical zoom, and custom color tools as upgrades Apple should copy.
The article says Apple’s phone camera is already very good, but it could be better if it copied a few smart tricks from Android phones. It is like a chef tasting a better soup recipe and borrowing the good parts for their own.
Analysis
What the article argues
CNET’s Andrew Lanxon says Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro camera is already excellent, but that the company should not stop there. The piece is framed as a wishlist for the iPhone 18 Pro, using several standout Android phones as examples of features Apple could adopt.
The Android features Apple should borrow
The strongest example comes from Xiaomi’s Leica Leitzphone, which the author describes as a benchmark for phone photography. He highlights its larger main sensor, saying it helps capture more light and improve dynamic range. He also points to LOFIC technology, which he says can preserve more detail in a single image instead of relying on multiple exposures blended together.
The Leitzphone’s continuous telephoto zoom is another feature the article wants Apple to copy. Unlike the more common approach of heavy digital cropping, this uses moving lens elements to improve zoom quality.
The article also praises Samsung’s My Filters tool. That feature lets a user sample the look of one image and turn it into a reusable filter. The author says Apple’s current Photographic Styles system is useful, but not as flexible for creative color work, grain, and film-like looks.
The broader point
The article’s larger argument is that Apple should push harder on both camera hardware and software. It suggests the company has the brand power and engineering base to make the next iPhone a stronger tool for both casual and serious photographers, but only if it borrows the best ideas already proven on Android.
Key points
- The article argues that the iPhone 17 Pro is already strong, but Apple should still raise the bar for the iPhone 18 Pro.
- It points to Xiaomi’s Leica Leitzphone as a model for a larger sensor, LOFIC-style dynamic range gains, and better light capture.
- It says a continuous optical telephoto zoom would be a major upgrade over relying on digital cropping.
- It argues Samsung’s My Filters offers more creative flexibility than Apple’s current Photographic Styles.
- The piece frames these as practical camera features Apple could borrow, not radical redesigns.
If Apple adopts some of these ideas, the iPhone 18 Pro could offer better zoom, stronger low-light photos, and more creative color options. That would make Apple’s top phone more appealing to photographers who want both quality and control.
If Apple keeps its current approach, rivals may keep leading on certain camera features while the iPhone stays only incrementally better. The article also notes that some of the more interesting ideas are still rumored, so Apple may not ship them at all.
