• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

How does autofocus on a smartphone work?

Kookas

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2012
162
11
Birmingham, England
I get how it works in a normal camera, but what about on a phone? My phone's camera clicks audibly when it's focusing, so it must be mechanical, but how do they move the lens in such a small space?

I recorded the sound of the phone focusing on my laptop and amplified it, and it sounds sort of like a spring-loaded door latch, or sometimes like a crisp being eaten.
 

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones