With the Galaxy S9, Samsung tried to imitate the iPhone X’s Animoji feature by only using the 8MP autofocus camera on the front of the device. The result was AR Emoji which has not received positive reviews. Samsung has not given up trying though. The company is reportedly working with Israeli startup Mantis Vision and camera module firm Namuga to develop a 3D sensing camera solution for the Galaxy S10.

Namuga already supplies Intel with 3D sensing camera modules for its RealSense AR cameras, while Mantis Vision supplies Samsung with camera modules for its lower-end devices.

The 3D sensing TrueDepth camera used by Apple on the iPhone X makes it possible to offer a feature like Animoji. Samsung tried copying the same thing with AR Emoji on the Galaxy S9, but the hardware behind it was simply not good enough for the purpose.

Reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had already stated in one of his investor’s note that Apple’s Face ID technology is at least 2-3 years ahead of other OEMs and gives it a huge advantage over them. While Samsung’s suppliers are currently working on a 3D sensing tech for the Galaxy S10, it is still very early to tell if the tech will be ready in time for the Galaxy S10 and work as expected.

Our Take

It is also unclear if Samsung will use the 3D sensing camera on the Galaxy S10 for face unlock or continue to make use of the iris scanner. Using the 3D sensing camera will allow Samsung to offer a more secure face unlock experience, though again, it all depends on how good its 3D sensing technology is. Given that the Galaxy S9 has just launched and the Galaxy S10 is over a year away, there are a lot of things that can and will change.