We have already seen smartphones that are notchless, come with hole-punch cameras and more. However, one thing that remains to be seen is a full-screen phone (100% screen-to-body ratio) without any add-ons like a slider mechanism or pop-up camera. It seems Samsung has accepted this challenge and is reportedly working on a Galaxy S11 with under-display camera.
What is an under-display camera?
According to South Korea’s MyDrivers, Samsung is working on a phone with an under-display camera, and it could be the Galaxy S11. Such a phone would have the selfie camera under the display, similar to how fingerprint readers are sometimes embedded under a display
An in-display camera would mean that the camera remains hidden under the display until it is in use. Samsung does already offer a full-screen phone, the mid-range Galaxy A80. However, the handset uses a flip-up rotating camera to achieve the all-display front.
This is not the first time we are hearing about Samsung placing the front camera under the display. In fact, Samsung talked about this concept of placing the selfie camera under the display in the past.
However, it won’t be easy, and the company may encounter the same issues it witnessed with the under-display fingerprint readers or other problems. One crucial thing the company will have to ensure is that the screen doesn’t affect the quality of the images taken by the camera underneath it.
Samsung was expected to debut the in-display fingerprint reader in the Galaxy Note 8. However, the technology didn’t arrive until the Galaxy S10, possibly due to technical issues with the technology.
Is the Galaxy S11 with under-display camera really coming?
As of now there is no confirmation on if Samsung is actually developing the Galaxy S11 with an under-display camera. However, according to tech site MyDrivers, Samsung has confirmed that such a technology is possible.
“Technology can be developed to the extent that the camera hole is invisible and does not affect the functionality of the camera or the display,” MyDrivers quoted Samsung as saying.
Yang Byung-duk, vice president of Samsung’s R&D group, also said previously that the company eventually plans to do away with the punch-hole but admitted that such a technology could be years away.
Thus, if there is no Galaxy S11 with under-display camera, then the technology may debut in the Note 11 or even the S12. It is almost certain that the Note 10 won’t feature this technology.
What are others doing?
Whether or not Samsung is working on a Galaxy S11 with an under-display camera may not be confirmed, but what we do know is that the Korean firm has the capability to develop the technology. Samsung is already close to a full-screen phone with its Galaxy S10 line-up, which features small punch-holes to house the front-facing camera. Moreover, the company already offers a full -screen phone with the A80.
Other smartphone makers are also experimenting with full-screen designs. For instance, OnePlus is expected to add a pop-up selfie camera to make its upcoming OnePlus 7 Pro be all screen on the front.
Other smartphone makers such as Apple and Google will likely be sticking with the notch for now, leaving a small black area on the top of the screen. Although using a notch helps get rid of the bezels, it does not result in a truly full-screen phone.
What else to expect in the Galaxy S11
Aside from an under-display camera, the Galaxy S11 is expected to come with USB-C. This would mean Samsung will finally ditch the headphone jack, requiring users to switch to wireless earbuds or get a dongle to connect their 3.5mm headphones.
As far as the processor, the Galaxy S11 might feature Qualcomm’s latest technology, which integrates the 5G modem with the mobile processor. Qualcomm has already talked about such technology making its way into devices next year.
Qualcomm’s current 5G modems are standalone chips that are in addition to the processor. This results in chunkier devices that might not be power efficient. This is probably why the Galaxy S10 5G is 0.31 inches thick and weighs 6.98 ounces, compared to 0.3 inches and 6.17 ounces for the Galaxy S10 Plus.
Further, there are reports that Samsung may opt for new branding with the next Galaxy S phone. Previous reports hinted that the company is thinking that 11 and subsequent numbers like 12 and 13 are a bit difficult to pronounce. Hence, the company may adopt new branding for the Galaxy phones going forward.
