# New optical tech could transform smartphone cameras

- Topic: tech
- Source: [Wired](https://www.wired.com/story/your-smartphone-camera-could-get-a-big-upgrade-with-this-tech/)
- Published: 2026-11-11
- Original: https://www.wired.com/story/your-smartphone-camera-could-get-a-big-upgrade-with-this-tech/
- Language: en
- Image: https://media.wired.com/photos/6ae9b7ae1f18bdac7b5ae8bf/master/pass/Samsung%20SOURCE%20Julian%20Chokkattu.jpg

## At a glance

- Metalenz acquired PxE Holographic Imaging to implement HoloCoder technology, which replaces traditional light-absorbing color filters.
- The new optical layer can increase light collection by up to 2.5 times, enhancing low-light smartphone photography.
- HoloCoder technology enables a single sensor to capture color, 3D depth information, and polarization data simultaneously.
- Integration of these capabilities into consumer devices is expected to begin in late 2027 or early 2028.

## Sources

- [Wired](https://www.wired.com/story/your-smartphone-camera-could-get-a-big-upgrade-with-this-tech/)

## The story

Boston-based Metalenz has acquired Israeli startup PxE Holographic Imaging to introduce a new optical layer called HoloCoder. This technology aims to replace the traditional Bayer filter, a 50-year-old component that currently wastes roughly 60 percent of light by absorbing colors rather than redirecting them.

By using microscopic structures to diffract light waves directly toward pixels, the HoloCoder could allow sensors to collect up to 2.5 times more light. This advancement promises to significantly improve low-light photography and dynamic range in mobile devices. Additionally, the layer can capture 3D depth information and polarization data simultaneously, potentially reducing the need for multiple dedicated sensors or heavy AI processing.

Metalenz CEO Rob Devlin suggests the technology could disrupt the visible sensing market by merging color, depth, and polarization into a single sensor system. While the components may initially serve different markets, the company expects consumer electronics to utilize HoloCoder technology as early as late 2027 or 2028. The company is also collaborating with Qualcomm on a facial biometric system called Polar ID to compete with Apple's Face ID.

> Summary by Daily Read Bytes. [Read the original source](https://www.wired.com/story/your-smartphone-camera-could-get-a-big-upgrade-with-this-tech/)