As part of its Unpacked event yesterday, Samsung announced two new folding smartphones. While there was a lot to "unpack" about each, one feature in the company's new flagship Galaxy Z Fold 3 doesn't appear to have flagship performance: its under-display camera.
Xiaomi has announced the Mix 4, the latest in its Mix series that generally has highlighted cutting-edge technology and sleek design. The latest has an impressive array of main cameras but also features the company's first commercial launch of an under-display front-facing camera.
Several companies have been grappling with the physical issues that come with hiding a selfie camera behind a display, but Oppo seems to have cracked the code. Its next-generation under-display camera appears to have no distinguishable downsides when compared to one in a notch or hole-punch.
Multiple manufacturers are currently attempting to solve problems with a smartphone's front-facing camera. Current devices generally use a notch or hole-punch, but to keep a display seamless some are trying to hide them under the display itself. Xiaomi thinks there might be a better way.
Samsung has filed a patent for a folding smartphone with a rotating camera as well as another for an under-display camera as well as other sensors such as an in-display fingerprint sensor.
Xiaomi has been granted a patent to develop an under-screen smartphone camera that can rotate and therefore act both as a selfie and traditional rear-facing camera.
Xiaomi has unveiled its third-generation of under-display cameras for upcoming smartphones. Instead of a notch or cutout, the edge-to-edge display will have a camera that's nearly invisible under the screen while retaining the standard quality of front-facing cameras.
To avoid the dreaded "camera notch" interrupting smartphone screens, some manufacturers have begun introducing pop-up or flip-up selfie cameras. But, thankfully, the future looks like it will be more elegant with the introduction of cameras hidden under the displays themselves.