This archive report was first published on 6 January 2020.
At the dawn of 2020, OnePlus made headlines with the announcement of the Concept One smartphone, a revolutionary device that boasts an invisible rear camera.
As the company took to Twitter ahead of CES 2020, a concept video showcased the camera disappearing from view, leaving behind a faint outline as the glass transitions from transparent to translucent.
This groundbreaking technology marks the first time such a feature has been integrated into a smartphone, setting a new standard for the industry.
Unlike previous devices that employed pop-up mechanisms or sliders to hide cameras, the Concept One's electrochromic glass enables a seamless and unbroken design at the back of the phone.
According to reports, OnePlus aimed to boldly challenge conventional practices in the industry, particularly in 2019 when massive phone makeovers focused on camera design improvements.
Thanks to this innovative technology, the designers at OnePlus have achieved their goal of an unbroken design at the back of a smartphone.
As wired.com noted, the electrochromic glass effectively shrouds the camera from sight, giving the phone a lensless appearance when the camera app is not open.
The electrochromic glass adds a mere tenth of a millimeter to the overall thickness of the concept phone, relying on power to shift from opaque to translucent.
With the Concept One, OnePlus has pushed the boundaries of smartphone design, offering a premium and unobtrusive hand feel experience to its users.
Originally developed for use in high-end car sunroofs and aircraft windows, the technology has been adapted for smartphones in collaboration with British automotive manufacturer McLaren.
