So after we have seen our displays stretch as far as possible across the fascia of our phones, what’s next? Well, they will allegedly fold, or rather fall, over to the sides.
Pioneered by Samsung, these curved edge screens have been around for ages but with OPPO marketing its new take as “Waterfall” display and Vivo flaunting similar steep curves for Nex 3, we have an inkling that these folded edge displays might get a lot more popular and a lot more common really soon.
What makes Oppo’s Waterfall Display different? For one thing, it folds at the edges at an angle of 88-degrees (almost straight down). Recently, we also heard about a similar screen with a 90-degree incline on the upcoming Vivo Nex 3.
Also Read: Oppo unveils Under-Screen Camera, MeshTalk, 5G and IoT platform at MWC Shanghai 2019
The new display form should help manufacturers brandish higher screen-to-body ratio, even when there isn’t any notable increase in the useable screen area.
Taking borderless smartphone innovation to new heights, we’re thrilled to give you a first look at ‘Waterfall Screen’ technology. 🤯
What do you think the screen-to-body ratio is on this prototype? 😏 pic.twitter.com/99AQKh9ZgH
— OPPO (@oppo) July 29, 2019
In the initial phase, the reviews are bound to be polarized, as the folded edges are bound to look slick but might prove to be a classic case of choosing form over function. Such steep curves could be a pain while watching videos, especially for content that’s shot in regular 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio. We will also need to wait and see how well the phone handles accidental touches and how much effective any suitable protective case turns out to be.
The prototype Oppo showcases on its social media handles doesn’t have a front camera. That’s maybe because OPPO is relying on the in-display camera tech that it recently demonstrated at MWC Shanghai.
Availability
The new screen is likely to make it to the Oppo Find X second generation (by the way, the first generation had curved display too) which could debut at IFA 2019 this September. And with Oppo and Vivo both zealously taking to these abrupt curves, can OnePlus be far behind?
