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The next Huawei phone might pack a triple-lens 40MP camera

What seem to be ads for an upcoming Huawei phone have been spotted online.

Gordon Gottsegen CNET contributor
Gordon Gottsegen is a tech writer who has experience working at publications like Wired. He loves testing out new gadgets and complaining about them. He is the ghost of all failed Kickstarters.
Gordon Gottsegen
2 min read
Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The cameras in phones keep getting better and better -- but the next Huawei P-series phone sounds like it takes them to a new level.

Several ads for a "Huawei PCE Series" phone were spotted online by mobile tipster Evan Blass.

The ads center around the phone's camera capabilities and mention some pretty impressive specs like triple lens rear cameras with 40-megapixel pictures, 5x hybrid zooming (which uses digital and optical zoom for better capturing far away objects) and a 24-megapixel selfie camera. According to the ads the phone is apparently co-engineered by camera company, Leica. The same company that co-engineered the cameras in the Huawei P10 and Huawei Mate 10.

Blass claims they're from a creative agency that works with Huawei. Still, it's best to take them with a grain of salt. The ads have not been officially published and the agency already removed them from its portfolio. Huawei declined to comment on the ads.

Blass claims that the "Huawei PCE Series" phone in question is the follow-up to the Huawei P10, assumed to be called the Huawei P11. The P10 is already a capable camera phone -- it has a dual-lens, 20- and 12-megapixel rear camera setup and 8-megapixel front camera -- but if the rumors are true, the Huawei P11 could get some serious upgrades. Transitioning to a 24-megapixel front camera would be a significant step up from the P10. A triple-lens rear camera would also be a break from the P10 and Huawei P9, which both use dual rear cameras. 

We have yet to see any triple-camera Huawei phones so we're not quite sure what to expect, but the extra lens may add some functionality similar to how dual-rear cameras can do more than a single-lens camera. The triple lens could also produce even sharper pictures.

The Huawei P10, Leica's picture pal

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The ads also point to a "Pro Night Mode" feature and AI integrations. This is said to help capture low-light images and allow for instant scene recognition and auto framing. It's worth noting that the Huawei Mate 10 also uses AI in its camera for similar features and is co-developed by Leica.

The Huawei P11 is still just a rumor now, with no official word on when the next Huawei P series phone will be released. The Huawei P10 was first unveiled at Mobile World Congress in February, so keep your eyes out for more P11 info in the coming months.

Watch this: Huawei P10 brings more color and two Leica cameras