LG's futuristic phone will have whopping 16 cameras

LG's ambitions for a hexadecimal camera setup were revealed from a USPTO patent unearthed by LetsGoDigital.

Granted on November 20, the patent details the 16 camera setup and how it could be employed to take a range of shots.

It even had a series of renders demonstrating different ways of arranging these cameras on the back of a phone.

As the patent explained, each of the 16 camera lenses will have different characteristics and focal lengths.

While this looks like LG is overdoing it, the company says these cameras could prove handy in several ways.

For instance, the user could take shots from a selected lens or even use all 16 lenses at the same time and then pick the best one.

With 16 lenses, you'd be able to capture a subject from different perspectives.

You could then stitch images from different lenses to form a wide-angle shot like a panorama or replace a part of an image from one lens with a part taken by another lens.

For instance, you could change the angle of a subject's head using the image taken by another lens.

Though the 16 camera setup detailed in the patent will rest on the back of the phone, LG could also let you use it for selfies.

This, as per LetsGoDigital, would happen with a small mirror placed with the 16 cameras.

It won't be as seamless as taking a photograph with a front-facing shooter, but the quality would definitely be amazing.

Having said that, it is important to reiterate that this is just a USPTO-approved patent at this stage.

It hints that LG would like to develop a phone with 16 cameras, but does not guarantee that the phone is in the works or is coming anytime soon.

The idea sure sounds interesting, but just like many other patents, the company may sideline this one.