Apple's next iPhone could have an improved camera on the back, if a recently published patent is anything to go by.

The patent, discovered by Patently Apple, describes a dual camera system, with the main benefit being the ability to zoom in while taking pictures without seeing a noticeable drop in resolution. That in itself would be a welcome addition to the "iPhone 7," but the patent also includes examples of other uses, such as taking video and still photos simultaneously.


"[Imagine] a child about to blow out the candles on the birthday cake while all her friends are singing a birthday song," the patent explains. "In some embodiments, second camera module 3084 can be used as a telephoto camera module to zoom in on the face of the child as she is about to blow out the candles, and first camera module 3082 can capture a burst of high resolution still images of her smiling face. In some embodiments, first camera module 3082 is simultaneously capturing standard 1080p 30fps..."

Another provided example suggests that the two cameras could also be used to record video at two different speeds or resolutions, or even recording one video that contains 4K, 1080p video, and slo-mo variations, as well as still images. All of which could be easily edited together later to make "more engaging media."

Of course, as with all patents, like the ones detailing displays woven in fabrics or augmented reality for the living room, its existence doesn't necessarily mean the idea will be used. We can only hope that Apple will keeps these ideas in mind when making the next iteration of the iOS devices, and that the company deems these enhancements to be worthwhile.