While most users don’t really care (or too little) about smartphone camera quality, others are very picky about their stills. Sadly, the device you currently own doesn’t always offer the best smartphone camera experience, which was mainly the reason behind Sony’s introduction of the QX line-up (with the QX10 and QX100 models, in addition to the QX1 kit) at the 2013 IFA in Berlin.

Olympus doesn’t want to let Sony take the entire clip-on smartphone camera market, and has introduced the Olympus Air A01, with interchangeable lens. It will be available starting March 6 in Japan, and will go for ¥36,504 (around $310) for the black and white body, and ¥53,784 (roughly $460) for the kit that also includes a 14-42mm EZ Lens.

The camera itself is equipped with a 16MP “Live MOS image sensor and TruePicVII image processor as the latest OM-D and PEN models” and comes with eight dedicated smartphone apps for different shooting methods. Other notable features include a micro SD card slot, shutter button, as well as a built-in battery, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity options. Olympus will deliver the Air with an open-source API, which will allow developers freedom to take the potential of the camera further.

There is no information, at the moment, on availability outside of Japan.

Source: Olympus
Image: DPreview