Buzz
The trend of sliding phones is making a comeback, especially in the high-end smartphone segment. Notably, most of these concepts focus on concealing the selfie camera system to enhance the display ratio. Prominent names in this trend include Find X, Mi Mix 3, Vivo Nex, and Honor Magic 2.
1. Noteworthy Sliding Smartphones in the Current Market
The trend of sliding phones is making a comeback, especially in the high-end smartphone segment. Notably, most of these concepts focus on concealing the selfie camera system to enhance the display ratio. Prominent names in this trend include Find X, Mi Mix 3, Vivo Nex, and Honor Magic 2.
Find X
Official Price: 21 million VND
This smartphone gained significant attention in 2018, featuring a unique design distinct from others in its category.
Oppo utilizes a sliding mechanism to conceal and reveal the camera when needed, ensuring a seamless and unified screen structure.
The sliding mechanism employs a mechanical part raised with 41 screw threads, boasting durability up to 300,000 slides. On average, it lasts up to 5 years under high intensity, making it highly robust. When users switch to the camera mode, the mechanical part elevates the camera module for usage.
In this concealed camera module, Oppo equips the front camera with an infrared sensor for quick facial recognition unlocking. With a power-on gesture, this camera unit pops up for swift recognition and then retracts. The device's 3D AI front camera system boasts a 25 MP resolution, scanning 15,000 points, constructing an accurate 3D model on the user's face.
With the mechanical sliding system, Oppo cleverly addresses the upper space, achieving balance for the screen and becoming the smartphone with the highest front display ratio currently. The 6.42-inch screen employs AMOLED technology, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and a 2K resolution. The display is designed with an extreme curved panoramic arc style.
Mi MIX 3
No official price available yet
Mi MIX 3, Xiaomi's latest premium smartphone unveiled in Vietnam, introduces a sliding mechanism, concealing the selfie camera to maximize the display area.
According to technical specifications, the device features a 6.39-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Hiding the selfie camera contributes to an impressive 93.4% screen-to-body ratio compared to the large body.
In terms of the sliding mechanism, it differs significantly from the Find X mentioned earlier. Xiaomi uses a magnetic sliding mechanism, a combination of neodymium magnets calibrated to push and pull when users apply force. With 2 attracting and 2 repelling magnets, users exert force to push down, making the sliding action smoother. Xiaomi emphasizes substantial resources dedicated to ensuring durability with 300,000 cycles tested in a laboratory environment.
This sliding mechanism also integrates some interesting features, allowing users to slide open the phone to answer calls or perform other functions.
In the sliding camera module, Xiaomi equips the device with Sony's IMX576 sensor with a 24 MP resolution and a 2 MP depth sensor. The sensor utilizes Super Pixel technology to combine information from 4 pixels into one large pixel, improving performance in low-light conditions. The 2 MP sensor is specifically used for depth sensing. Notably, with AI integration, users can capture real-time bokeh videos and frames.
Vivo Nex
Imported Price: 13.9 million VND
This is also a remarkable high-end smartphone from Vivo this year, featuring a sliding camera system and the world's first 'borderless' display. Unfortunately, this device is only available through unofficial channels, as Vivo has no plans to officially release this product.
Similar to its competitors, Vivo positions the selfie camera outside the display for a larger viewing area, achieving a screen-to-body ratio of up to 91.24%. The 6.59-inch display has an aspect ratio of 19.3:9.
The highlight of Vivo Nex is the sliding selfie camera located on the top of the device. When users select the selfie photo mode, the 8 MP camera automatically slides up with the sliding mechanism underneath. According to GSMArena, this sliding system has been tested over 50,000 slides without any issues and proves to be durable, even withstanding a weight of 45 kg without breaking.
Another interesting feature of Vivo Nex is the in-display fingerprint sensor, considered a crucial feature for smartphones in the coming year. Accompanying this is the integrated sound technology on the display, completely replacing the need for a traditional speaker.
In addition, the device utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB of internal storage, and a sizable battery capacity of up to 4,000 mAh.
Honor Magic 2
Price not disclosed
The Magic 2 makes a strong impression with its sliding capability, concealing the camera module similar to Oppo's Find X.
The Magic Slide feature of Honor Magic 2 is designed to enable a full-screen display without affecting other functions. The company notes that the front camera is hidden, allowing the screen-to-body ratio to reach almost 100%, addressing the debate over the notch.
When slid up, the camera activates the photo capture feature and utilizes artificial intelligence to enhance the images. This selfie camera module includes a 16 MP main camera and two 2 MP cameras supporting portrait photography with 3D lighting effects. Accompanying the front is a 6.39-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2,340 x 1,080 pixels.
This version also features a triple rear camera system with resolutions of 16 MP (f/1.8 aperture), 24 MP (f/1.8 aperture supporting black and white photography), and a 16 MP ultra-wide-angle lens (f/2.2 aperture).
Honor utilizes the Kirin 980 processor with integrated artificial intelligence, unlocking AI features, and enhancing the device's performance.
Additionally, the latest Magic 2 comes with the Magic Charge 40W super-fast charging, equipped with 15 layers of protection specifically designed for this phone. The device automatically checks the battery, cable, and charger, initiating Super Charger only when all three components are determined to be safe.
