Smartphones are getting more expensive, especially flagship models. But they are no longer just devices we use to make calls, send messages or save memories. From snapping photos at family gatherings to shooting videos for social media, our phones now take on tasks that once required dedicated cameras like DSLRs.
However, building a phone that meets these changing needs is not as simple as it sounds. Brands must understand what people want, study how they use their phones, test ideas, and anticipate what they'll need next.
To understand how this process works, we sat down with Goldee Patnaik, head of communication at OPPO India, who explained how brands approach the changing role of smartphone cameras. Read on as we explore the thinking behind these decisions and what they mean for the cameras we use every day.
Your next customer could be looking through your camera
Open Instagram or any other social media app, and you will likely come across people who feel familiar. They could be friends, relatives, colleagues or creators who share our interests and come from backgrounds similar to ours. Their pictures and videos do not always feature expensive settings or carefully planned photoshoots. Instead, they often show everyday life, familiar places and experiences we can relate to. But for some of these creators, social media is about more than sharing what they do. It also lets them showcase their skills, promote their small businesses and find new customers.
Goldee Patnaik explained how this has changed the role of smartphone cameras, especially for people who rely on social media to grow their businesses. “In each case, the camera is not simply recording the work; it is presenting it,” he noted. He pointed out how a makeup artist can use photographs to showcase their work, while a home baker can attract customers with pictures of their cakes. Similarly, a fitness trainer can use short videos to demonstrate their skills and give potential clients an idea of what to expect. In each case, the camera helps people show what they can offer, making it easier for potential customers to discover their work.
This shift also reflects the growing diversity of India's creator economy, with people using different languages to connect with audiences. Citing a 2026 study by the Indian School of Business (ISB) and HashFame, Patnaik noted that Hindi-language creators accounted for 42% of India's creator base in 2025, while those using other regional languages collectively made up 58%. These figures show that creators reach audiences in the languages they speak every day, helping them connect with local communities.
The camera race is now about more than megapixels
For years, people judged a smartphone camera by how sharp its pictures looked and how much detail it could capture. While these factors still matter, our expectations have changed as phones have become tools for running businesses and creating content. A good photograph can help a business showcase its products, while a portrait can help a creator present their work. But content creation no longer stops at photographs. Creators are also taking their audiences behind the scenes through Reels, Stories, live streams and short videos that document their journey of building a brand. With so many ways to create and share content, camera quality can no longer be judged by resolution and sharpness alone.
Smartphone makers must account for this shift as they develop their cameras. Goldee Patnaik explained that creators today need phones that can handle different types of content, from product photos and portraits to tutorials and behind-the-scenes videos. He noted that natural-looking faces, realistic colours, wider views, and strong video quality in difficult lighting are becoming just as important. As he put it, the question is gradually shifting from “How good is the camera?” to “How much can I do with it?”
More room in the frame, more of the story
Beyond work, smartphone cameras have plenty to do during our leisure time, too. Festivals, family gatherings and trips with friends are often incomplete without a group photo. But getting everyone into a single frame without cutting someone out is not always easy. Someone stretches their arm, everyone squeezes closer, someone ends up at the edge, and another person disappears from the picture. Before you know it, someone is asking for another photo because not everyone made it into the frame.
Goldee Patnaik explained why a wider front-facing camera can make a difference in such situations. "A wider front-facing camera may sound like a small improvement, but it solves a human problem: making room for everyone," he noted. He also explained that the benefits extend beyond family gatherings. Creators can include clients or collaborators in their shots, fitness trainers can capture both themselves and their movements, and boutique owners can photograph an outfit along with its surroundings. As Patnaik put it, "Sometimes, it is the one that makes the frame big enough for the entire story."
When your smartphone becomes your production team
Creating content involves more than shooting photographs or videos. Creators often plan shoots, edit footage, publish posts, and engage with audiences, all while trying to grow their businesses. In many ways, their smartphones become their production setups. According to BCG, India has over 2–2.5 million monetised content creators who influence $350–400 billion in consumer spending, a figure projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030.
During our conversation, Goldee Patnaik explained how creators are turning their skills into livelihoods through content. He noted that “a person can turn a skill into content, content into an audience and an audience into a livelihood.” He also highlighted how regional creators build trust by connecting with audiences through familiar languages and shared experiences, making it important for their smartphones to support their creative needs.
The best camera tricks are the ones you barely notice
Most Indians don't have much experience with dedicated cameras like DSLRs, which require an understanding of settings to get the results they want. Smartphones have made photography more accessible by taking much of the guesswork out of capturing a good picture. Now, AI is taking this a step further, helping creators spend less time worrying about camera settings and more time focusing on their content.
When we discussed AI's role in smartphone cameras, Goldee Patnaik emphasised that its value goes beyond making photographs look different. He explained that AI can quietly handle tasks such as improving composition, lighting, colours and editing, making it easier for users to get the results they want. He noted that the aim should not be to make every picture look overly polished, but to simplify the process so people can focus on what they want to create.
The real measure of a camera is the moment it captures
Most people do not expect their smartphones to turn them into professional photographers. They simply want their phones to capture important moments well, with natural-looking faces, realistic colours and everyone fitting into a group photo. For creators and small business owners, getting the shot right can mean more than preserving a memory. It can showcase their work, attract customers, or generate business.
Speaking about this shift, Goldee Patnaik explained that smartphone cameras need to inspire confidence by delivering reliable results in everyday situations. Whether someone is photographing a product, taking a group selfie, or recording a video, the experience should be simple enough that they can focus on the moment rather than the camera settings.
Ultimately, technology should work around people, not the other way around. The goal is to help users confidently capture their lives, showcase their skills and share what they create.
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