Oppo is working on next-generation under-display camera technology to deliver full-screen smartphones with no hole-punch camera or notch taking up display space — Apple should take note.
The Chinese smartphone giant unveiled the new under-screen camera (USC) technology, showing off a prototype phone featuring an end-to-end, full-screen experience. Oppo claims the discreet front-facing camera will still snap crisp images, all while delivering a full-screen display experience without compromise.
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Oppo's under-screen camera technology
Oppo didn't simply fit a front-facing camera under the screen, as its USC technology has been under development for a number of year. Aiming for a balance between on-screen fluidity and camera quality, Oppo developed a new structure design and AI algorithms.
The under-display technology shrinks the size of pixels in display with decreasing the number of pixels used in its past smartphones, offering a 400-PPI display. Oppo also used transparent wiring material to reduce the width of wiring to create a "display for a smoother visual experience."
Development on USC also enabled improved control of screen accuracy, colour, and brightness, along with improving the display’s lifespan by up to 50%.
As for camera quality, Oppo's research team has been working on getting AI algorithms to get rid of blur and image glare, along with problems caused by light diffraction.
Like many of the best Android phones on the market, Oppo's line of Find X3 smartphones comes close to delivering a full-screen experience. The Oppo Find X3 Pro leaves only a hole-punch camera on its otherwise near bezel-less AMOLED display.
Oppo's research team is still working on the hardware design and capabilities of its new under-display camera technology. While the company doesn't state when we can expect a full-screen experience, it does claim the R&D team began developing the USC technology in 2018, and even submitted proposed standards to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 2020.
There's reason to believe Oppo is gearing up to include under-display cameras in its next-generation Find series flagship smartphones, which are expected to arrive in 2022. Rumor has it Apple plans to ditch the notch on iPhone models in 2023, leaving plenty of time for Oppo to gain the upper hand.
Only time will tell how well Oppo's new under-display camera technology works once it arrives.
