[will_walker]

I worked at a startup that considered liquid lenses from a French outfit for optical applications back in the early 2010s. Problems with the technology include reliability (not great having fluid near electrical components), repeatability, and focus time. It's also hard to expect that the lens can easily 'snap' to focus, since there will be some play in the polymer / motor drivetrain. Mammalian eyes require a complex biological support system to keep them functional over years and decades. An unfortunate aspect of polymers (like the skin of this lens) is that they do not maintain flexibility in the long term.

Perhaps there's been a leap in the technology, but I'd avoid the first generation if possible, like I do with all newly implemented tech, since I consider the camera a critical function of my smartphone.

[baybal2]

Changing lens shape is one thing, but it's also possible to just directly change the index of refraction of the material with any moving parts.

[IronyMan42]

How do you do that, i thought this is a property of the material itself?

[baybal2]

There are materials in which refractive index can be changed significantly by electric field/temperature/mechanical strain

[krick]

Considering people now tend to change phones every couple of years, do you mean by "long term" something even shorter than that?

[knolax]

Classic HackerNews to have the top comment be an anecdote from 10 years ago.