Even though this year’s IFA is taking place somewhat unusually, some manufacturers have big surprises up their sleeve. For example, smartphone manufacturer ZTE has now presented the first smartphone that hides the front camera under the display. It is scheduled to be launched on the European market this year.
Faster than Xiaomi
A few days ago, Xiaomi presented his impressive technology for hiding cameras under the display in the future (we reported). Now ZTE has added to this. They are now also able to hide a front camera under the display. And unlike Xiaomi, ZTE wants to launch its first smartphone with this technology in 2020: The Axon 20 5G.
Camera is not invisible
When the Axon 20 5G was presented, the position of the 32-megapixel front camera was still a secret. After all, it was simply not visible on the manufacturer’s pictures. But in the meantime, the first testers were able to take a closer look at the upcoming smartphone. This revealed where the sensor was hiding. After shining a flashlight on the smartphone, the camera could be seen at the top of the screen. But even during normal use, it should be easy to spot the area of the camera. So the area in question is always a bit darker than the rest of the display. Conversely, it will probably be easy to spot if the content is particularly bright. Nevertheless, the result looks really impressive. Without knowing where the camera is, you would certainly have to search for a while to find it.
Technological background still unknown
Xiaomi played with his cards on the table when presenting his upcoming technology. The Chinese company relies on special subpixels that transmit enough light to the camera hidden behind the display. But how does ZTE manage its camera under the display? The manufacturer did not let more exact for this announce. ZTE only explained that they work with a special pixel matrix. Since the small area above the camera is slightly darker than the rest of the screen, ZTE seems to work with a lower pixel density there. This could ensure that the sensor receives enough light. We remain curious and wait when ZTE will reveal its technology. But the front camera should not be the only hidden feature. Furthermore, the Axon 20 5G should be able to score with a fingerprint sensor and speakers under the display.
Impressive technology
But it is not only the under-display technology that is impressive in ZTE’s upcoming flagship. The smartphone also offers an almost 7-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2460 x 1080 pixels. The Snapdragon 765G from Qualcomm will provide the necessary power. This is the gaming version of the Snapdragon 765, and since it supports 5G, we can expect the same from the Axon 20 5G. The processor is supported by at least 6 GB RAM. The internal memory starts at 128 GB. However, we can probably assume that there will be larger versions. The battery capacity amounts to 4220 mAh.
Main camera with four sensors
The Axon 20 5G also has a multi-camera capability. The rear main camera consists of the main sensor with 64 megapixels and three additional sensors. In particular, these are a wide-angle sensor (8 MP), macro sensor (2 MP) and a sensor for depth detection (2 MP). In terms of connectivity, the upcoming ZTE flagship seems to have a lot to offer in addition to 5G. In addition to WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, it also supports Bluetooth 5.1 and also includes NFC, an accelerometer and a gyroscope. The Axon 20 5G will run with Android 10 ex works.
Price and availability
In November it should be already so far. Then the first smartphone with an under-display camera will be available on the German smartphone market. Initially, the ZTE Axon 20 5G will be available at Media Markt, Amazon and Saturn. At what price we can enjoy the futuristic smartphone is still unknown. However, if you convert the Chinese starting prices into euros, we are very positive about it. After all, the Axon 20 5G would then be available at a price starting at 275 euros (6 GB RAM, 128 GB memory). If you want 8 GB RAM, you would have to pay the equivalent of 310 euros. Features (8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage space) would then be available at a price of just under 350 euros.
