What happened to the official wide-angle/telephoto lens case for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge?
The wide-angle camera on the LG G5 is easily one of the best new features we’ve seen on a smartphone to date. It may not sound like much, but the secondary wide-angle camera allows users to capture more of the world around them, without being stuck to a single lens with a smaller field of view.
While this is one of the few features the G5 actually has a leg up on the competition, Samsung tackled the issue a little bit differently by creating a case which features separate wide-angle and telephoto lenses. We got a brief look at Samsung’s Lens Cover back during Mobile World Congress and were fairly impressed with the setup. The fact that the lenses could be detached for safe keeping inside a bag or purse meant the lenses can be available when you need them, or stored away when you don’t. Even if you’re not using the lenses, the Lens Cover doubles as a nice looking case to help keep your device protected.
Smartphone camera’s are improving every year and the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are some of the best the money can buy. It’s safe to say that more people are leaving their point-and-shoots or even bulky DLSRs at home and using the camera that’s already in their pocket. That being said, we were excited to get our hands on these cases and really put them through their paces and last we heard, Samsung’s Lens Cover were supposed to be available shortly after the Galaxy S7’s launch. As so often is the case with Samsung, the case/lens combo appears to have fallen through the cracks. It’s only after receiving a tip from a reader that we may have a better idea of when we can expect Samsung’s Lens Cover to launch.
A listing for the “LENSCOVER” can only be found on an official Samsung distributor’s website, where it’s currently being listed for 143.00 Swiss Franc (approximately $150). The good news is an official launch could be around the corner, with the retailer showing a “week 19” release date (May 9th to 15th). This could mean we’ll see it in other markets as well, but we’re not holding our breath. The only North American retailer we found selling the Lens Cover was MobileFun.com who has it priced at $121 and is currently accepting pre-orders, but still has no expected arrival date.
Samsung’s Lens Cover was one of the more interesting Galaxy S7/S7 Edge accessories we saw out of Mobile World Congress which included a physical keyboard case, extended battery case that charges the S7 wirelessly, and of course the LED Wallet and S-View Flip cases with capacitive covers. We’re sure the Lens Cover will be a big hit with photography enthusiasts, should it ever launch. Of course, we’ll be keeping an eye out for more info and we’ve already reached out to Samsung for comment.
Thanks, Jon!