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Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra Will Feature 200-Megapixel Camera
The company’s latest ISOCELL HP2 sensor is identical to the rumored camera specs of the upcoming flagship smartphone.
Samsung’s ISOCELL HP2 is a new 200-megapixel sensor with a specification that precisely matches the circulating rumors about the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s primary camera. The chip is sized at f 1/1.3” and sports 0.6-micrometer (μm) pixels. The Korean tech giant announced the new sensor as it prepares to launch its latest flagship device — the Galaxy S23 Ultra — on February 1st.
High-megapixel sensors are nothing new for Samsung, but the company hasn’t yet crammed anything so pixel-dense into a smartphone chassis, so the news is an exciting development for tech enthusiasts. Last year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra featured a 108-megapixel sensor in its main camera module, meaning the new device will ship with almost twice the resolution.
Larger, high-pixel-count sensors bring tangible image quality improvements if executed correctly, allowing the camera to use “pixel binning” to combine multiple pixels into one, gathering more light and detail. The ISOCELL HP2 will be able to drop every four or sixteen pixels, producing 50 or 12.5-megapixel images, respectively. When it comes to video, the new camera will record 8K clips at 30fps and support 4K HDR at 60fps.
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Aside from the raw specs, the ISOCELL HP2 sensor uses a new technology called “Dual Vertical Transfer Gate,” which Samsung claims will help reduce overexposure and improve color replication in bright conditions. Meanwhile, low-light shots will benefit from “Super QPD,” enabling faster auto-focusing.
Samsung says the new 200-megapixel camera sensor has already gone into mass production, and we can’t wait to see sample photos from the flagship smartphone after its February 1st unveiling.
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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
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The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.