OPPO's second-gen under-screen camera technology looks promising

OPPO's new under-screen camera solution claims to solve many of the issues affecting devices like the Axon 20 5G.

What you need to know

• OPPO has unveiled its next-gen under-screen camera (UPC) for phones.
• The company claims the new solution strikes the perfect balance between screen and camera quality.
• Sadly, it doesn't look like OPPO plans to launch a phone with the new under-display camera (UPC) tech anytime soon.

Back in September last year, ZTE launched the world's first phone with an under-display camera. While the tech looked promising, it was plagued with several major issues — including poor image quality and inconsistent display quality in the area right above the under-screen camera. OPPO has now unveiled its next-generation under-screen camera technology, which brings several major improvements and promises to take the full-screen experience to new levels.

To solve the technical challenges that have plagued first-gen under-screen camera technologies, OPPO has made several changes to the structure design and developed advanced AI algorithms. The company's "innovative pixel geometry" helps shrink the size of each pixel without reducing the number of pixels. This ensures a 400 PPI pixel density even above the camera area.

OPPO is also using a transparent screen wiring material, which is said to be 50% thinner than traditional wiring and capable of providing a similar visual experience as the best Android phones. For improved brightness and chromaticity, OPPO's new under-display camera prototype uses a proprietary screen technology.

Unlike existing solutions, which use one pixel circuit to drive two pixels, OPPO's solution uses each pixel circuit to drive only one pixel. Combined with the company's algorithmic compensation technology, the technology ensures brightness and chromaticity deviation of only 2%. In addition to providing a more immersive experience, OPPO claims its "1-to-1" pixel circuit and optimization algorithm can also help extend the display's lifespan by up to 50%.

To improve the camera image quality, OPPO's U.S. Research Institutes have created new AI algorithms that can "reduce" image glare and blurring. OPPO says its AI diffraction reduction model has been trained using thousands of images to enable users to capture clearer and more natural-looking selfies.

Despite several improvements, it looks like OPPO's new under-screen camera technology isn't ready for prime time just yet. OPPO says it will further optimize the tech "with the end goal of bringing a true full-screen under-screen camera system to users worldwide."