Oppo shows off Under Screen Camera (USC) tech that could change screens

Oppo has shown off its new Under Screen Camera (USC) technology, which could change how people take selfies, and ensure that full screen displays become the norm

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Oppo has shown off its new Under Screen Camera (USC) technology, which could change how people take selfies. (Image source: Oppo India Twitter)

Oppo has shown off its new Under Screen Camera (USC) technology, which could change how people take selfies, and ensure that full screen displays become the norm. Right now smartphone manufacturers are trying a number of ways to ensure taller displays, but the front camera remains a challenge. Some players have gone for smaller notches on the front, others like OnePlus and Redmi have gone for a pop-up selfie camera, but Oppo, which was one of the first to test out pop-up front cameras, is trying something completely different.

It should be pointed out that Oppo is not the only player working on technology where the selfie camera is placed under the display. Xiaomi has also confirmed that it is working on this technology. In Oppo’s case, the USC camera technology was shown at the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai.

OPPO’s brand new solution for full-screen display – Under-screen Camera (USC) has just been unveiled here at #MWC19 Shanghai! #MoreThanTheSeen pic.twitter.com/k5qEQ3QNta

— OPPO India (@oppomobileindia) June 26, 2019

In a series of tweets, Oppo has shown how the selfie camera will be placed under the display. It also notes that the algorithms behind this USC technology take into account issues like haze removal, HDR and white balance, which can be a problem given the camera would be under the display.

Oppo says the idea with this technology will be to ensure bezel-less phone, while ensuring that the selfie camera matches up to the standards of today. According to Engadget, when the camera is not in use, the screen works like any other, but on closer look the area above the camera is more pixelated. Oppo is relying on “highly-transparent material plus a redesigned pixel structure for improved light transmittance,” in this area, according to the report.

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Oppo’s Under Screen Camera technology up close. (Image source: Oppo)

The report notes that Oppo will rely on a very customized display panel in order to implement its USC technology. The Verge says that the selfie camera’s sensor is larger and has bigger pixels, because the company will have to ensure enough light enters in order for the image to be clear.

Oppo says they will be using a highly customised camera module for this, which will capture more light. The USC technology will also support features like smart beauty mode and photo filers in the future, which have been a very crucial part of the selfie camera on Oppo phones.

Oppo also announced a new MeshTalk technology, which will allow communications without cellular network or WiFi within a range of three kilometres. This is a new proprietary decentralized technology from the company, which will allow sharing of texts, voice messages and real-time voice calls between Oppo without the need for WiFi, cellular or Bluetooth.

The technology works by letting Oppo devices create an ad hoc local area networks (LAN) to support communications. OPPO says it has customised the communication chipset to develop MeshTalk.

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