Samsung envisions full-screen smartphones with in-screen selfie camera
From wide display cut-outs to waterdrop notches and from pop-up cameras to punch-hole screens, the selfie camera continues to dominate smartphone design. And in the pursuit of a "perfect full-screen smartphone", with no notches and cut-outs, Samsung is working to place the selfie camera and sensors underneath the display itself. Here's more on this novel idea.
From cut-out display to in-screen cameras
While pop-up and slider cameras allow for an uninterrupted, full-screen look, the phone is not really as robust as a unibody phone. Hence, Samsung opted for a punch-hole camera design that we recently saw on the S10 flagships. And now, the company is working on ways to eventually make the camera hole invisible by placing it under the screen itself.
Samsung's perfect full-screen phone won't come anytime soon
"Though it wouldn't be possible to make (a full-screen smartphone) in the next 1-2 years, the technology can move forward to the point where the camera hole will be invisible, while not affecting camera's function in any way," said Yang Byung-duk, VP (R&D), Samsung Display.
Samung is also working on Crystal Sound OLED display technology
To offer a truly all-screen design, Samsung is also working to hide the sensors and speakers/earpiece underneath the display. The tech giant is working on a technology called Crystal Sound OLED display technology which allows the screen to double up as a speaker. Recently, we saw this technology on LG's 88-inch OLED TV and the G8 ThinQ flagship phone which was launched at MWC.
Samsung highlighted these emerging technologies at a conference last year
Samsung pushes for innovation to stay in the game
In a bid to battle slumping sales, Samsung is banking heavily on innovation as it jumps from notches to punch hole displays, to ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint sensors, to multiple cameras and gargantuan storage on smartphones. Hence, an all-screen phone is certainly on the cards as the Korean tech giant continues to push for innovation to stay relevant in this fast-evolving industry.
