For a company like Realme which has new smartphones launching every few weeks, new products are never really too far. Up next is a particularly interesting one—one of the world’s first smartphones with an under-display camera.
Under-display cameras are regarded as the next major step in smartphone design. With displays getting bigger and bezels getting slimmer, the front camera remains as the only hindrance on the way to achieving a fully obtrusion-free display. Current options include resorting to hole-punch notches or pop-up cameras, but both are far from ideal.
- ZTE Axon 20 5G with an under-display camera is now official
- Xiaomi's under-display camera phones are coming in 2021
- Smartphones with under-screen cameras are a step closer to reality
The ability to hide the front camera under the display is what smartphone manufacturers are chasing. It seems like Realme might have its own solution in the pipeline. The company’s Vice President took to Weibo to talk about the development of by sharing a photo of the unreleased phone. As seen, the phone does not have a visible front camera on the front. Moreover, he further confirmed in the comments that it doesn’t have a pop-up selfie camera either.
The choice of the wallpaper makes it difficult to see the camera module, which is supposed to be an under-display solution. When needed, the display becomes transparent to let light pass through and reach the sensor and becomes a regular display at other times. It comes with its own set of challenges such as light transmission, display discolouration and dead spots. It remains to be seen how Realme manoeuvres past these challenges.
No launch date or product name was shared, so it’s too early to determine if it will be a mid-range smartphone or a flagship. Realme’s Madhav Sheth has also talked about this feature in the past.
Currently, only the ZTE Axon 20 5G offers an under-display camera experience that is available for purchase. Oppo and Xiaomi have also showcased working prototypes of their solutions, but they will attain commercialization later.
- Check out our comprehensive review of the Realme 7 Pro
- Why we feel the Realme 7 managed to perfect the recipe
