Samsung could be laying the groundwork for deeper support of professional filming accessories on future Galaxy phones. Android Authority reports that references to TILTA hardware were found while digging through the latest Camera Assistant app tied to One UI 8.5. For those unfamiliar, TILTA is widely used in filmmaking for camera cages, follow-focus systems, mounts, and lens control gear.

Vivo X200 Ultra with 2.35x telephoto converter

The code suggests Samsung may be adding native support for these accessories. So it could allow users to control focus and other camera settings directly through external hardware in the near future. If implemented, this would make Galaxy phones easier to integrate into more advanced shooting setups.

Of course, the feature is not currently active in the One UI 8.5 beta. It may arrive with the stable version of the update in the Galaxy S26 series.

The timing is notable. There have been no major upgrades in the camera department across Galaxy flagships over the past few generations. At the same time, comparisons highlighting the widening gap in image quality between Galaxy phones and their Chinese competitors have become increasingly common.

One reason Samsung has stuck with older, relatively smaller sensors seems to be the design aesthetic of Galaxy phones. As seen with rivals, larger optical hardware leads to bulkier camera modules, which would clash with Samsung’s preference for cleaner designs and individual camera cutouts.

Xiaomi 17 pro max | iPhone 17 Pro max | Galaxy S25 Ultra (main camera)

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is widely expected to retain most of the hardware from the S25 Ultra, which could widen the image-quality gap even further as Chinese smartphone makers continue upgrading their optics. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra, for instance, includes a 3x-4.3x continuous optical zoom setup similar to the photography-focused Sony Xperia flagships. The brand just shared some comparison shots with two unspecified flagships, and the gap is wild.

This is where external hardware becomes relevant for Samsung. They will allow photography-enthusiast Galaxy fans to stick with the brand they like while still gaining a noticeable upgrade, likely for an additional cost.

(Source)