Qualcomm has revealed that some of its chipsets feature a type of technology it has branded as Hybrid Auto Focus that combines Phase Detection Autofocus and Laser Autofocus.
Phase Detection mimics the functioning of the human eye, with a set of paired pixels separated by a small distance, akin to our two eyes. Basically, each pixel outputs slightly different information, and the chipset calculates these differences for a fast focusing speed. Due to Phase Detection requiring precise calculations of pixel data, it works well only in adequate light. For darker conditions, there is something called Laser Autofocus, in which infrared rays are emitted by the camera, and they bounce off the objects. The chipset uses this data to focus on objects, and since infrared rays don’t require light to be detected, it works well in darker conditions.
Qualcomm says that some of its chipsets are able to intelligently switch between these two focus systems, determining the best one based on lighting conditions. Currently, there are no devices with both focus systems. Devices like the Lenovo Vibe Shot and the G4 have laser autofocus systems, while other devices like the Galaxy S6 sport Phase Detection Autofocus. We may see devices having both focus systems appear soon.