Oppo promises stable photos from smaller smartphones

Numerous smartphones have image stabilization, but they're usually large, chunky or both, and for good reason: The optical (lens-based) stabilization they typically use chews up a lot of space. Oppo, however, believes it has a better way. Its new SmartSensor brings sensor-shifting stabilization to phones (reportedly for the first time), giving you blur-free shots without the usual bulk. Moreover, it fixes some of the chronic problems with OIS. It's much faster when correcting shots, uses about 50 times less power and accounts for rolling motions and other kinds of shaking that optical stabilizers usually can't correct.

• There's no mention of where and when SmartSensor will show up in a finished product, although it's reasonable to presume that Oppo will use the technology mainly (if not exclusively) in its own smartphones. That's a bummer if you're hoping to see it become a universal feature, but it could also make Oppo the phone maker of choice if you tend to shoot photos at night or in other less-than-ideal conditions.