The rear camera on the Galaxy S20 will be the centerpiece feature of Samsung's next flagship. However, one of the more eye-catching features, the optical zoom, which will dominate competing camera phones, may not be available on all models.

The confusion surrounding the Galaxy S20's zoom feature has been compounded by reports surrounding Samsung's component supply line, specifically this week's The Elec. According to that Korean business publication, a company called Optrontech is preparing a 5x optical zoom camera module for the Galaxy S20 series and

The company is expected to be comprised of three different models.

On paper, this is great news. Last year's Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus had a telephoto lens capable of 2x optical zoom, so this year's models sound like an upgrade in that regard.

But if you've been following Galaxy S20 rumors, you'll recall that the possibility of a 10x optical zoom has been raised by Samsung watchers who have been sorting through various spec leaks. Just recently, there was a massive spec dump that the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which is scheduled to debut at Samsung's Unpacked product event on February 11, will feature a 48MP telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom.

The Elec did not specifically mention the S20 Ultra (only the S20 series), fueling concerns that the 10x optical zoom feature will not be included in any of the S20 models and that Samsung's new model will have a 5x optical zoom limit. Still, Samsung's new models will outperform Apple's iPhone 11 Pro device and Google's Pixel 4 series, which feature 2x optical zoom; the Huawei P30 Pro has 5x optical zoom, but it will not be easy for US consumers to afford this model.

A more likely scenario is that the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus will have 5x optical zoom, while the 10x optical zoom will be on the S20 Ultra. According to leaked specs from earlier this week, that appears to be the case.

That makes sense, not least because the three Galaxy S20 models are expected to have a lot in common: all 5G versions of the Galaxy S20 will have the same processor (Snapdragon 865), larger screens, but the same design It is expected that they will all have the same processor (Snapdragon 865) and larger screens, but the same design. The camera is likely to be the element that makes the S20 variant stand out, with the S20 Ultra featuring a 108MP main sensor, 48MP telephoto lens, and 12MP ultra-wide shooter; the 10x optical zoom capability will further set the Galaxy S20 Ultra apart from other Samsung phones. will make it stand out even more.