Xiaomi shares more information about its under-screen front-facing camera

[Shawn Knight]

Why it matters: Xiaomi is one of multiple technology giants actively working on a front-facing smartphone camera that would sit beneath a phone’s display, effectively eliminating the unsightly notch and gimmicky pop-up cameras. It's about time.

We got a sneak peek at Xiaomi’s progress earlier this week thanks to a teaser video published on Twitter. SVP Wang Xiang followed up with a more in-depth look at the technology, highlighting how it uses a transparent display made from a special low-reflective glass with high transmittance.

When not in use, the display works like any other would, allowing content to be shown in full. Upon activating the front-facing 20-megapixel camera, the display area over the camera becomes transparent so light can enter. The transparent display doubles as the camera lens which Xiaomi said will let more light in to produce better pictures compared to pinhole cameras.

This is precisely the solution I had in mind when manufacturers starting turning out the dreaded notch and more recently, the pop-up camera, as the end of the fat bezel set in. It really is the best possible solution, assuming of course that image quality won’t suffer too much.

Then again, even if there is a noticeable drop in quality at first, it may not be that big of a deal for some. Personally, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve used the front-facing selfie camera on my phone. So long as the ugly notch goes away and I don’t have to worry about the mechanics of a motorized pop-up camera failing, I’d be happy.

Xiaomi didn’t say when its first phone with an under-display camera would hit the market but hopefully, we won’t have to wait too much longer.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/80405-xiaomi-shares-more-information-about-under-screen-front.html

 

[m4a4]

I'd be happy too. There's no chance I'm buying a new phone with a notch in it.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

The notch on the iPhone X and iPhone XS Max has not, ever, even once, been a problem for me. Sure it will be nice once it's engineered away, but the people who criticize it are buying smartphones that look like someone used a hole puncher on them.

 

[kevbev89]

The notch on the iPhone X and iPhone XS Max has not, ever, even once, been a problem for me. Sure it will be nice once it's engineered away, but the people who criticize it are buying smartphones that look like someone used a hole puncher on them.

Using the Samsung S10+ here... honestly doesn't bother me much. Only issue I found is when it so happens to block an icon in a mobile game I play. Other than that it really does provide a better alternative to the tear drop design.

 

[Morphine Child]

Having a phone with a notch for 1+ years now... never had a single issue with it. It actually gives certain "character" to a phone (in lack of a better term).

I don't know how these under screen cameras will perform, if they manage to do it without making any compromises in regards to quality... bring them on! But, if there is *any* drop in performance and image quality, I'd gladly take the notch for a few more years...

 

[Adi6293]

The notch on the iPhone X and iPhone XS Max has not, ever, even once, been a problem for me. Sure it will be nice once it's engineered away, but the people who criticize it are buying smartphones that look like someone used a hole puncher on them.

Using the Samsung S10+ here... honestly doesn't bother me much. Only issue I found is when it so happens to block an icon in a mobile game I play. Other than that it really does provide a better alternative to the tear drop design.

My fiance has a S10+ and those holes drive me crazy, that's all I see when I look at the phone, I was interested in it prior to release date but no thanks I will stick to my XZ Premium

 

[Uncle Al]

I just don't see what the big deal is about a little notch. After all, you have an appendix and a belly button, neither of which serve a useful purpose but you don't complain (unless one of them starts acting up or the other one fills up with lint) but everyone apparently needs something to gripe about so have at it!

 

[bob333]

Notch is like a broken screen, you want to buy a phone with a hole on the screen?

 

[netman]

For those who always say China steals western technology and they cannot innovate themselves: do you have anything to say on this article?!

 

[kevbev89]

I just don't see what the big deal is about a little notch. After all, you have an appendix and a belly button, neither of which serve a useful purpose but you don't complain (unless one of them starts acting up or the other one fills up with lint) but everyone apparently needs something to gripe about so have at it!

I bothers me if it is in the center of the screen, since I look at that portion a lot

 

[kevbev89]

My fiance has a S10+ and those holes drive me crazy, that's all I see when I look at the phone, I was interested in it prior to release date but no thanks I will stick to my XZ Premium

I took me maybe a couple days to get used to it. I came from a HTC10, so it was a huge upgrade for me.

 

[AndreV]

[QUOTE="Using the Samsung S10+ here... honestly doesn't bother me much. Only issue I found is when it so happens to block an icon in a mobile game I play. Other than that it really does provide a better alternative to the tear drop design.[/QUOTE]

It doesn't bother you much but it still bother you, just not much.

I for one if I had to choose I would choose the under the screen option if there's no drawbacks, but outside of camera, WHERE THE HELL ARE THE REST OF SENSORS(not only in this Xiaomi phone, but on all other water/tear drop notch phones)?

 

[darkzelda]

I've been buying Xiaomi phones the last 3 years and they are really good, looking forward for this type of screen to make it quick to their budget phones.

 

[erickmendes]

I can live with the notch, still prefer no notch... But I won't buy a pop-up camera fone... I don't believe it can survive too long.

 

[kevbev89]

I can live with the notch, still prefer no notch... But I won't buy a pop-up camera fone... I don't believe it can survive too long.

Given that they already have a live demo of a genuine in-screen camera, the notch probably won't be around much longer on the high-end flagships.

 

[Markoni35]

This is one of the worst privacy-violating "features" in the last 5 years. Up until now you were able to physically block the selfie camera, but now it's not possible because it's under the screen. I think I won't be buying that crap. I want better battery and more powerful CPU. Not better spying features.

I don't want a piece of **** that has a better front camera, than back camera. That's for stupid teenagers that were trained to constantly take selfies. I want to make photos of stuff I'm looking at, not of myself. I don't want to update my profile picture (every 10 minutes) for the spying bastards at Google, Facebook, Instagram, Viber, Whatsapp, etc, etc, etc, .......... ending with NSA

This whole thing is going the wrong way. As usual. It's always what the big corporations want. But they are good. They can convince zillions of morons it's what THEY wanted. Yes, YOU wanted to make selfies and record everything around you, constantly. That's the purpose of your life.

They never make features for the people with brain. Isn't that strange? I mean, we're living in the age where almost all the minorities are protected. Regardless of the skin color, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Almost all minorities. Except the minority of people with brain. Must be that minority is so small, nobody takes them seriously.