Today, Oppo announces its next-generation under-screen camera (USC) technology for smartphones. According to the company, it offers a “perfect balance between consistent screen quality and camera image quality”. The new technology places the front-facing camera under the smartphone display to maintain the integrity and consistency of the display. Moreover, both during use and while the screen is off. In addition, it also fixes a lot of the previous issues that we’ve seen with UD technology.
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Oppo has also shared images of a prototype device housing the new under-screen camera delivering a truly full-screen experience. Although for some time now, brands are trying to figure out a way to remove the notch and hole-punch for the selfie camera. To recall, some went with the innovation of pop-up camera ended up adding more weight to the phone. It also means moving parts that could malfunction due to dust build-up or other reasons. In the end, USC looks like the best solution as of now to deliver a truly full-screen experience. Meanwhile, ZTE launched a couple of phones with the same technology. It does have drawbacks like poor image quality and the fact the sensor was not completely hidden in the under-screen camera.
How did Oppo achieve the Under-Screen Camera Tech?
Apparently, Oppo says it combined hardware innovation and its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. It maintains the integrity and consistency of the display when the camera is in use or not. The under-screen selfie camera is invisible atleast as in the image above. The new solution shrinks the size of each pixel without decreasing the number of pixels to ensure a 400-PPI high-quality display even in the camera area. Additionally, Oppo has replaced the traditional screen wiring with a new transparent wiring material. It combined with an improved manufacturing process, reduces the width of the wiring by 50%. In addition, it results in a further improved, and more refined display quality.
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Furthermore, for consistent screen colour and brightness, Oppo is using 1-to-1 pixel circuit driving. It means a one-pixel circuit is driving just one pixel and not two, which the company says is the industry standard. It allows the brightness and colour accuracy of the display to be controlled with a deviation of about two per cent. Lastly, 1-to-1 pixel circuit driving technology also improves the screen’s lifespan by up to 50 per cent. In the end, the new hardware and software changes help the next-generation under-screen camera solution to be able to provide display compensation in the area of the screen. It also improves the screen’s lifespan by up to 50 per cent.
Meanwhile, Oppo has not announced when it will release a phone to the public that comes with under-screen camera technology. It says it will continue its research and development to further optimise its under-screen camera technology.
Akhil Kapoor
Living and breathing technology. From unboxing to reviews, I strive to be your one stop buying guide to purchase the tech product that's best suited for you.