Smartphone Makers Escalate Telephoto Camera Race

In a feature, Dominic Preston reports that smartphone makers have escalated competition around telephoto cameras in recent years, deploying periscopic lenses, dual telephotos, continuous optical zoom, high-megapacity sensors, and external extenders. Manufacturers now pair hardware advances with software, notably generative AI Pro Res Zoom in Google's Pixel 10 series, to improve digital zoom. The trend differentiates flagship devices and pushes further improvements in sensors, stabilization, and AI-enhanced imaging.