Report claims Sony readying Carl Zeiss camera lens attachment for smartphones w/ built-in 20.2MP sensor

A new report claims Sony plans to launch an attachment for smartphones that will include a camera lens with built-in sensor, battery, and memory, and connect to a smartphone over NFC or WiFi. The report comes from SonyAlphaRumors, which claims this rumor comes from its top sources (opposed to some of the other stories it often posts from anonymous tipsters and less reliable sources).

There aren’t a ton of details about exactly how the lens would work in terms of integrating with a smartphone, but we’d imagine it would come with a companion app to drive the experience. The report claims it will pack in the same 20.2 MP sensor and Carl Zeiss lens as its $750 DSC-RX100M II digital camera, indicating its price tag might be on the high-end compared to similar camera lens attachments. Another version with a “smaller sensor and larger zoom” is also reportedly in the works.

The site notes that “You can mount it on the smartphone but also use it separately,” which we assume means it will act as a wireless viewfinder of sorts.

With Samsung going after hybrid smartphone camera devices like the Galaxy S4 Zoom, and even the Galaxy Camera, and Nokia and others catching on to the trend, perhaps Sony will take a new approach by offering a higher quality add-on accessory that doesn’t bulk up its smartphones. Sony’s flagship Xperia Z already boasts a 13.1MP camera that beats out much of its competition (including the iPhone, which it provides sensors for), but no word on whether the attachment will be exclusively for Sony’s Android smartphones or make its way to iPhone and other devices as well.