This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
Published on July 10, 2019, the smartphone industry has seen a significant shift in design trends, with many manufacturers opting to eliminate the camera notch on their devices. While Apple is often credited with popularizing the notch, Android manufacturers have found innovative ways to avoid it.
Flippable Cameras: ASUS ZenFone 6 ¶
The ASUS ZenFone 6 features a unique flippable camera design, allowing users to rotate the rear camera to capture panoramic shots and selfies. The dual-camera system includes a Sony IMX586 48-megapixel sensor and a 13-megapixel ultrawide secondary camera.
Motorized Cameras: OnePlus 7 Pro ¶
The OnePlus 7 Pro features a motorized front-facing camera that pops out when needed, providing a seamless camera experience. The rear camera also features the Sony IMX586 sensor, an ultrawide, and night-time camera.
Hole Punch: Samsung Galaxy S10 ¶
The Samsung Galaxy S10 features an under-display selfie camera, which is technically notch-less since the cameras are not placed in the middle of the screen. However, the implementation is not the best, and Samsung may take inspiration from OPPO and Xiaomi for future iterations.
Under-Display Cameras: OPPO & Xiaomi ¶
Chinese smartphone manufacturers OPPO and Xiaomi are working on under-display camera technology that can shoot through screens. While neither company has a current smartphone with this tech, they have showcased it at trade shows, promising improved photo quality and a notch-free design.
