"Camera Not Visible" Holes Disappearing from Smartphones... 'Sumkapone' Flooding the Market

Comparison of UDC Technologies Among Global Smartphone Manufacturers [Source: IT Tipster Ice Universe]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] Global smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung Electronics, have now entered the competition for so-called 'Under-Display Camera (UDC)' and 'Under-Panel Camera (UPC)' technologies that hide the camera hole beneath the display instead of increasing camera megapixels. This technology is expected to be applied to Samsung Electronics' new foldable smartphone 'Galaxy Z Fold3' and Xiaomi's 'Mi Mix 4', both scheduled to be unveiled this month.

According to industry sources on the 7th, following China's ZTE releasing the successor to the 'Axon 20', the 'Axon 30', which was the first to apply UDC technology earlier this month, Samsung Electronics and Mi Mix 4 will soon unveil UDC smartphones as well.

This technology, called UDC or UPC, hides the front camera under the display, eliminating the visually troublesome 'punch hole' and 'notch'. However, display technology has been a critical factor. Since light passes through the display to reach the camera, light loss can occur, potentially degrading image quality, making transparency technology crucial. Last year, ZTE's Axon 20, the world's first UDC smartphone, was criticized for not meeting market expectations due to image quality and light flare issues.

UDC smartphones launching this year are generating expectations with significantly improved display technology.

The Z Fold3, debuting at Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Unpacked event on the 11th, is expected to be Samsung's first UDC smartphone. Xiaomi also announced it will hold an event on the 10th to unveil the Mi Mix 4. Chinese company OPPO recently officially announced the development of next-generation UDC technology and is preparing to launch a new smartphone.

ZTE increased the pixel density of the display area where the camera lens is located from 200ppi to 400ppi in the Axon 30. Additionally, it improved the efficiency of the ACE (Array Circuit Enhanced) circuit layout by 50%, making the transition between the camera and the screen more natural.

IT tipster Ice Universe recently posted on his Twitter a comparison image of UDC technologies applied by Samsung Electronics, Xiaomi, OPPO, and ZTE, all releasing new smartphones with UDC technology. The image shows that Samsung, focusing on image quality, left slight traces of the camera hole, whereas Xiaomi prioritized aesthetics and design more.

In another tweet, he drew attention by likening the current competition among the four companies releasing UDC smartphones to a marriage, referring to the partnership between smartphone manufacturers and display manufacturers. ZTE partnered with Visionox, OPPO with BOE, Xiaomi with China Star, and Samsung Electronics with Samsung Display, forming a 'Samsung x Samsung' structure.

IT specialist media PhoneArena stated, "UDC technology is still in its early stages," adding, "You have to choose between high light transmittance and excellent image quality but with visible camera traces on the display, or good camouflage but lower quality." Ice Universe released pixel images of Chinese three companies' UDC smartphones, evaluating Xiaomi's UDC technology as better than ZTE's and OPPO's.

The reason smartphone manufacturers are consecutively launching UDC smartphones is the judgment that smartphone camera specifications have plateaued at a high level in recent years. It is seen as a time to adopt differentiated technology. Especially with UDC, the front camera is hidden, eliminating the need for notches or punch holes. This not only offers aesthetic advantages but also allows for a larger screen to enjoy games or videos, which is expected to enhance content immersion.

Google is also reportedly developing new UDC technology that integrates the front camera under the display. IT specialist media LetsGoDigital reported that Google filed a patent for this technology in September last year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.