Samsung under-display camera phones could feature ‘sub-display’ tech
Recognition: David Imel / Android Authority
- Samsung has created a unique solution to the problems cameras under the display face.
- A patent application suggests the company could use a sliding sub-display under the larger screen of a phone.
- There is no indication that this technology will debut on a consumer device anytime soon.
Sub-display cameras did not start up at the speed many expected. While they give smartphones an all-screen aesthetic that is desirable for consumers, the technology still has practical limitations for photography. Now, Samsung seems to have come up with a novel method to solve both problems while adding functionality.
Discovered in a patent by LetsGoDigital Samsung, which was submitted to WIPO in June, envisions a camera phone with a sliding “sub-display”. As the name suggests, the phone has a large main screen as expected, but a much smaller display lurks underneath. This display hides the camera under the display when not in use. When users want to unlock their device or take a selfie, the screen is moved out of the way to reveal the camera.
There is another party trick. Users can activate this system by tapping or swiping over a sensor above the sub-display. This sub-display can also be used as a notification pop-up shortcut to apps or to display other status information.
The possibility of integrating this system into the Samsung S Pen is more interesting. Depending on the shelf, the pen can also be used to activate the camera and the sub-display.
Samsung’s Sub-Display Selfie Camera: Ingenious or Weird?
Samsung’s solution seems like a complicated solution to a pinhole camera, or ZTE’s current sub-display camera system, but it should alleviate some of the problems the latter face. For starters, the main display of the phone would not hinder the selfie camera, which should improve the amount of light available and therefore the image quality. When the camera is not in use, the phone also appears to have a screen with no holes or notches. It’s the best of both worlds.
There are also potential problems. Depending on how expensive the design is to implement, the benefits may not outweigh the higher price of the phone. In addition, introducing moving parts into a smartphone always involves risks. Dropping a device with this articulating sub-display design could damage the selfie camera system.
It’s not clear if or when Samsung could implement this technology on a consumer device, but we have our doubts that it will arrive anytime soon. The suggestions to support the S Pen point to the debut of the sub-display with a hint, a possible future phone of the Fold or S-series.
Next: Everything we know about the Galaxy S21 series
