Realme isn’t the biggest smartphone brand in the world right now, but it’s certainly one of the fastest-growing, known for its trend-setting designs that appeal to younger consumers. Set for release on November 20, the Chinese-based company is unveiling more about its latest flagship phone, the GT 8 Pro – powered by Ricoh GR.
Given that the world has been subjected to a lot of smartphone releases in the past few months, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was just another typecast flagship phone. Far from it, though.
The GT 8 Pro features a world’s first: the first-ever switchable camera bump. Yep, you read it right. A design component that has remained rigidly uncustomizable since it was popularized by the iPhone 6 will now be interchangeable. As a result, users can switch their device’s look by simply unscrewing the original camera bump, picking their preferred one, and confirming the fit with a precise lock-in click.
It's a bold move from Realme, and only time will tell whether other smartphone brands will follow suit.
Here is realme’s justification for the bold design choice: “Young users want devices that reflect their unique personalities, but the flagship market has forced them to choose between identical designs. This isn’t just a feature; it’s our blueprint for redefining flagship design: diverse, personalized, and true to the user.”
We don't yet have a full list of bumps available at launch, but Realme has suggested you'll be able to at least choose from round, square, and a robot-themed attachment. These can also be paired with Realme's Color-Mix concept, which matches the lens module's shade to subtly contrast the hue of the phone's body, which adds another layer of personalization for the GT 8 Pro.
Beyond the camera bump
The big headline for camera fans, though, is still Realme partnering with Ricoh to co-engineer the camera system for the GT 8 Pro. The collaboration promises a custom lens and image processing derived from the GR series, including five “GR Film Styles” (e.g., Positive Film, Negative Film, Monotone) to mimic the “film-like authenticity” of Ricoh’s street-photography compacts. The aim is to offer phone users a more organic, street-photography–friendly experience that brings the essence of the GR compact camera into a smartphone form factor.
The phone will ship in two shades: Diary White and Urban Blue, with the latter showcasing a paper-like leather back panel. This is made from recycled plastics and textiles, which is a big win for sustainability. The phone includes a 7,000mAh battery with 120W wired and 50W wireless charging. It's also rated to IP66, IP68, and IP69 for ingress protection.
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