The depth sensor of the CMF Phone 1 can see through objects but only for a short time.
Update: Nothing rolled out an update to fix the see-through effect on the depth sensor; see below.
When looking for mobile cameras capable of seeing through objects, they’re most common among specialized equipment or very specific rugged smartphones. Yet the typical version is thermal imaging to detect heat signatures.
But what will you do with a normal smartphone that can reveal see through objects? That’s what happened on the CMF Phone 1.
Nothing’s new release isn’t equipped with an x-ray but it has a missing feature that mimicked it. Let’s start with the post where a user explained what they found.
User @purely_maxwell posted on his YouTube that the 2 MP depth sensor of the CMF Phone 1 is like an x-ray camera that showed the batteries inside a remote control. Check the video below.
It doesn’t look like a bug because the Co-founder and Head of Marketing at Nothing, Akis Evangelidis, explained how the depth sensor of the CMF Phone 1 could see through objects.
The CMF Phone 1’s depth sensor had no infrared light filter to enhance its light-capturing capability. This also improved the sensor’s ability to catch infrared light and it can reveal the internals of an object.
However, that see-through ability should only work on thin or semi-transparent objects and those with black acrylic material. Still, privacy is a main concern.
Although you need to use the camera app to access the depth sensor, threat actors can go around that easily. So, Nothing will release a software update to prevent third-party apps from accessing the depth sensor output.
You can read his full post here.
That software update is now available for download and it only needs 200 MB of storage space. It comes with several improvements including:
- Improved zoom clarity in certain scenarios
- Enhanced night scene photography
- Optimized HDR video recording
- Improved Portrait Mode image effects
- Reduced scrolling lag when using X
The concern about the depth sensor is mitigated by the “fixed issue caused by third-party apps calling the depth camera.” The July security update is also included in this patch.
You can download the update by going to Settings > System > System Update. Read the changelog and hit the download and install button. Don’t restart the device during the downloading and installation process.
