Following innovations that include a retractable portrait camera and RGBW sensors, the brand continues to explore more camera innovations at its Future Lens event in Shanghai. During the event, TECNO revealed two upcoming camera innovations that are expected to arrive on the next Phantom X phones: one being a liquid telephoto macro lens, and the other being a new approach towards variable aperture on the main camera.

The liquid telephoto macro lens that TECNO plans to introduce aims to make use of a gel-like material to allow the lens to go up close without the need for complex motor systems and other fragile components. While this is not the first time that we heard of a liquid lens–Xiaomi did that before with the original Mix Fold‘s telephoto camera–TECNO’s approach involves using a liquid lens on a periscope module. Considering how periscope cameras are complex modules, we’re curious about how TECNO will simplify it with its liquid telephoto macro lens.

The other camera innovation TECNO previewed is a rather unusual approach to variable aperture systems. Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi have implemented variable apertures on their flagship devices, and TECNO is pushing for a different variable aperture design with a W-shape design that’s inspired by the cuttlefish’s W-shaped pupils.

TECNO claims that their unconventional approach is more efficient because of the combination of vertical and horizontal slits giving you better illumination control. It’s hard to visualize how this will work since TECNO did not showcase a prototype, but given that the Phantom X2 Pro debuted its retractable portrait camera, we’re confident with TECNO’s promises.

TECNO did hint that it will launch a new product at MWC 2024, so we presume that the next Phantom device will showcase either of the camera two innovations.