# Metalenz Acquires PxE to Revolutionize Smartphone Camera Sensor Technology New HoloCoder tech promises brighter images and 3D depth sensing without bulky hardware. - **Source:** [Wired](https://www.wired.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-11 - **Topic:** [technology](https://brifing.si/c/technology) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/f71433ab-3662-4618-8487-51d81f6e4f44 ## Replacing the Bayer Filter Smartphone cameras have relied on the 1974 Bayer filter to capture color, despite it wasting nearly 60 percent of incoming light. By absorbing red, green, and blue light to create pixels, this traditional layer limits performance. Metalenz aims to replace this inefficient system with a new, light-bending microscopic structure called the HoloCoder. ## Boosting Light Sensitivity The HoloCoder technology functions by diffracting light waves directly toward the sensor pixels rather than blocking them. This mechanism allows the camera to collect up to 2.5 times more light than current systems. Such a significant leap in light-gathering ability promises to dramatically improve low-light photography and enhance overall image dynamic range. ## Integrated Depth Sensing Beyond light capture, the HoloCoder can simultaneously record 3D depth information. Most modern smartphones currently require secondary cameras or AI guesswork to calculate subject distance for portrait modes. By merging light and depth sensing into a single layer, this technology simplifies internal hardware, saving both physical space and essential device processing power. ## Strategic Corporate Acquisition Metalenz, a company known for commercializing metasurfaces, has acquired the Israeli startup PxE Holographic Imaging to integrate this innovation. Metalenz has already shipped over 300 million metasurface optics to consumer devices since its 2021 launch. This acquisition allows them to combine light-bending lenses with PxE’s advanced light-sensing data streams for future devices. ## Future Biometric Authentication Metalenz is currently collaborating with Qualcomm to develop a secure facial authentication system called Polar ID. Expected to arrive on Android devices by late 2027, this system aims to rival Apple's Face ID. By leveraging polarization data, the company hopes to provide a more effective and secure method for verifying user identity on smartphones. ## Disrupting Visible Sensing CEO Rob Devlin believes the HoloCoder will transform the visible sensing market by unlocking data that conventional systems discard. While the technology is not yet commercially available, Metalenz has already established a robust supply chain and image pipeline. They plan to eventually fuse these technologies into a single, comprehensive sensing platform for consumer electronics. ## Broader Industry Applications The potential for single-sensor systems extends beyond smartphones to autonomous robots and vehicles. By replacing bulky lidar or multi-sensor arrays with a compact, efficient design, the technology could reduce computational costs. This shift would allow autonomous systems to process spatial data more effectively while maintaining a smaller, more cost-effective hardware footprint. ## Expert Skepticism Remains Researchers like Arka Majumdar from the University of Washington acknowledge the benefits for smartphone photography but remain cautious regarding robotics. He notes that vehicles often prioritize computational power over sensor size. While ditching color filters improves clarity, the core challenge for self-driving cars remains the decision-making speed rather than just raw image data. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.wired.com/story/your-smartphone-camera-could-get-a-big-upgrade-with-this-tech/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._