Oppo, a company that’s done its share of anti-bezel experimentation with display notches and pop-up selfie cameras, is the first to demonstrate an under-screen camera to the public at MWC Shanghai this week, after a tease earlier in the month. Alongside the showing, Oppo has revealed more information about how the technology actually works.
OPPO's brand new solution for full-screen display – Under-screen Camera (USC) has just been unveiled here at #MWC19 Shanghai! #MoreThanTheSeen pic.twitter.com/k5qEQ3QNta
— OPPO India (@OPPOIndia) June 26, 2019
Oppo says the display uses a custom transparent material that works with a redesigned pixel structure so that light can get through to the camera. The sensor itself is said to be larger than other selfie cameras, with a wider aperture lens in front. The area of the screen reserved for the camera still works with touch control, and Oppo says display quality won’t be compromised. The actual camera unit itself uses a larger sensor with bigger pixels and a wider aperture to capture more light.
Oppo says its algorithms are in place to help correct issues such as glare and haze, and claims the quality is “on par with mainstream devices.”
The first commercial Oppo device with USC tech is set to arrive “in the near future.” We’ll just have to wait until then before deciding if this really is the next step in smartphone design.