Oppo claims the new under-screen camera will arrive on flagship phones

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Oppo’s 2021 flagship, Find X3 Pro, does not use an under-screen camera.

Andrew Hoyle / CNET

Oppo unveiled new technology for the under-display camera on Thursday. The technology is set to make its way to the company’s next flagships, allowing them to hide the selfie cameras under the display. The third-generation imaging technology, which the company claims is the “best solution for the under-screen camera,” apparently offers image quality much closer to that of a normal front-facing camera.

Oppo attributes this improvement to better software and a better display. The company said it powered its artificial intelligence by training it with “tens of thousands of images.” It also used an updated screen (possibly from Samsung) that keeps the density of 400 pixels per inch uniform across the entire display. Previous iterations had a lower pixel density in the area above the camera, which created an unattractive area above the camera, especially noticeable when reading or watching videos.

oppo

Under-screen cameras are by no means a brand new addition to phones – the feature has emerged as a possible answer to the long-standing design problem created by a full-screen display and the need for a front-facing camera, which Apple has. addressed by adding a camera notch to the iPhone X. But installing a camera under a display so it doesn’t interfere with the display is a daunting undertaking as the camera has to function normally under all those pixels.

ZTE took up the challenge, equipping the 2020 Axon 20 5G with an under-screen camera, but the device struggled to capture details in low-light situations, often producing blurry images as if the photograph had been taken with one hand. trembling. This month, Samsung has equipped its Z Fold 3 with an under-screen camera, catapulting the idea of ​​hiding a selfie camera under the display into the mainstream. But in the real world, technology still has its work cut out. CNET’s Patrick Holland, who is currently conducting an ongoing review of the device, says the Z Fold 3’s under-screen camera won’t win any photo awards.

A prototype device with Oppo’s next-generation under-screen camera.

Oppo launched its under-screen camera technology in 2019, but it hasn’t put one into a real commercial device yet. Until CNET succeeds in putting it into practice, it’s hard to say whether Oppo’s iteration of the technology under the screen will improve the problems of past years.

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