Tired of Your Camera Bump? Realme GT 8 Pro Lets You Swap It Out

realme GT 8 Pro Launching in China next week, with worldwide availability coming shortly after.

Let’s be honest—phone design has gotten boring. The “glass rectangle” has become the default template for most smartphones, and with manufacturers racing to outpace each other on specs and launch cycles, design innovation has taken a backseat. Sure, brands like Nothing are shaking things up with quirky LED patterns and unconventional displays, but those are the exceptions. Now, another major Android player is trying something different with a simple yet surprisingly cool twist on camera design.

realme, the sister brand of OnePlus, just started teasing its next flagship powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite. But the chip isn’t the most interesting part. The realme GT 8 Pro marks the brand’s first collaboration with a proper camera company, and while the phone looks pretty standard at first glance, there’s a hidden feature that sets it apart.

The Camera Island You Can Actually Change

Here’s where it gets interesting: the GT 8 Pro’s rear camera module comes with swappable enclosures. The metal frame around the camera lenses is secured with just two screws, meaning you can remove it and replace it with a completely different design. While the phone ships with a square camera housing, you’re not stuck with it.

realme has shown off several alternative designs—think transparent covers, circular shapes, hexagonal patterns, and even a flower-shaped option. It’s a small change that can dramatically alter how your phone looks without needing a case or skin.

Most of these accessories appear to be metal, though realme hasn’t clarified exactly how many options will be available or how they’ll be distributed. There’s also the question of regional availability. The company might restrict these accessories to China, even though the phone itself is expected to launch globally.

Given that realme has previously released limited “Master Edition” versions of its flagships with unique designs, we could see something similar here. The standard GT 8, however, likely won’t get this feature.

What Else We Know About the GT 8 Pro

We’ll get full details when realme officially unveils the GT 8 series in China next week. Beyond the flagship processor, here’s what’s confirmed or expected:

• Camera system tuned by Ricoh GH, marking realme’s first partnership with an established camera brand
• Same primary sensor as the OnePlus 15, suggesting solid photo quality
• 200MP telephoto camera, matching what flagship Vivo phones are using
• Battery and charging specs likely similar to the OnePlus 15
• Android 16-based Realme UI (which is basically ColorOS with a different name)

realme GT 8 Pro : Actually Happening, Not Just a Concept

This isn’t realme’s first rodeo with experimental designs. The company previously showcased a concept phone that worked with actual DSLR lenses and another prototype packing a massive 15,000mAh battery. But those never made it to market. The GT 8 Pro’s customizable camera island, however, is real and will actually be available for purchase—making it one of the more creative design approaches we’ve seen in a while.

Whether this becomes a trend or just a fun novelty remains to be seen, but it’s refreshing to see a brand willing to try something different in an era where most phones look nearly identical.