KGI: Samsung's Note 8 to have dual 12MP/13MP camera with 3x optical zoom, that is “much better than that of iPhone 7 Plus, and likely match that of OLED iPhone”
Chance Miller / 9to5Google :
Context & Ripple Effects
KGI's April 2017 note lands a year into the first dual-camera cycle: Apple's iPhone 7 Plus brought 2x optical zoom but Tom's Guide found its images less sharp and well-exposed than Samsung's Galaxy S7 line, so the camera crown was genuinely up for grabs. KGI's claim that a 12MP/13MP pair with 3x optical zoom would beat the iPhone 7 Plus and match the unannounced OLED iPhone set the bar for Samsung's fall flagship before either device shipped.
The prediction proved broadly right on stills: the launched Galaxy Note8 carried dual 12MP cameras, and DxOMark scored it 94, matching the iPhone 8 Plus overall — though its video trailed the iPhone 8 Plus, HTC U11, and Google Pixel.
First-order effects
- Samsung's Note 8 gains a concrete spec weapon against the iPhone 7 Plus's 2x zoom, letting Samsung market a longer optical reach months before Apple's OLED iPhone could respond.
Second-order effects
- DxOMark's verdict splits the win: Samsung matches Apple on stills at 94 but loses video to the iPhone 8 Plus, HTC U11, and Google Pixel, forcing Samsung to defend two fronts rather than one.
Third-order effects
- The zoom arms race KGI flagged compounds rather than settles — by late 2019 sources describe the Galaxy S11 moving to a 108MP sensor with 5x zoom, implying each generation's optical-zoom lead becomes the next baseline.
The trend: Flagship phone competition is shifting from single-sensor image quality to zoom range and multi-camera configurations as the headline battleground between Samsung and Apple.