After the disastrous 2018, manufacturers Android – devices instead of mindless copying Apple are testing innovative technologies and new form factors …
Original material by Jared Newman
Held every year in Barcelona, the International Mobile Congress is seen as a platform for presenting opportunities and potential Android in all its glory. This is where device manufacturers from all over the world present device concepts that could make owners jealous iPhone.
Last year's show was an unfortunate exception. Instead of fresh ideas, most manufacturers limited themselves to cheap imitations of the dubious trendsetter iPhone X. They equipped their devices with unsightly camera cutouts, while retaining the bottom bezel ('chin'), which is the same Apple managed to eliminate. They experimented with face authentication, but it lacked the security and accuracy of Face ID. They continued to remove headphone jacks from smartphones, but they didn’t think about offering wireless alternatives with the same simple connection method as the AirPods.
In 2019, device makers on Android continued to push the industry forward as before. This has been fueled by both bold new ideas (such as foldable phones) and more practical endeavors (such as advanced camera systems). Don't be surprised if you see these concepts in future models iPhone.
Huawei Mate X
Foldable 5G – future
Part of me is overwhelmed by Samsung and Huawei plans to release foldable smartphones this year. The technology is clearly not yet brought to mind: in the unfolded state, folds are clearly visible on the display, and when folded, the smartphone turns out to be much thicker than usual devices. After the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold on April 26 at a price of $ 1,980 and the subsequent market launch Huawei of the Mate X (approximately $ 2,600), early adopters will, by and large, buy expensive prototypes.
At the same time Android, among other things, is just famous for the ability to give enthusiasts access to the technologies of the future. And this has a practical purpose: bringing folding devices to market will allow application developers to start adapting to new technologies at an early stage so that their software matures with the development of hardware.
The same argument applies to smartphones with support for 5G soon to be released by Samsung, LG, Huawei, Xiaomi and ZTE. The communications standard is in its early stages of development and this year's high prices and thickness 5G – smartphones will not contribute to their high sales. But these devices already exist, and so developers can already start working hard on ways to capitalize on the power 5G, like streaming games with minimal latency. Apple might be wise not to move to 5G this year, but it will benefit from this move by other companies.
Goodbye cutout hello puncture
From an aesthetic point of view, it's hard to tell if the hole-punch-style notch in the Samsung Galaxy S10 display is an improvement over the iPhone X notch. In both cases, the larger display area is sacrificed for the symmetry of the design and the perfect rectangular shape. screen.
At the level of the ecosystem concept, the new approach to notching makes more sense for any self-respecting manufacturer Android – devices. No smartphone based on Android has a real equivalent of Face ID, which would use a sensor system to read the image of a user's face, so manufacturers of such devices do not need a wide cutout, which, in theory, should ' hiding 'front cameras. Although Apple was not the first manufacturer to switch to 'monobrow', the companies quickly credited the concept with the release of iPhone X. Manufacturers might ascribe a new cut style to themselves Android – devices.
New camera technologies
While iPhone has been praised for being the best cameras in smartphones over the years, some of their advances – like optical image stabilization and multiple lens systems – first appeared in Android devices.
As part of the MWC, Nokia (to be precise, the HMD that makes devices under this brand) supported this trend by introducing the Nokia 9 PureView with five lenses on the back of the smartphone. Each of the five sensors has a resolution of 12 megapixels and captures a certain level of exposure, and then the device creates the perfect picture.
At the same time, Oppo has found a way to fit 10x optical zoom into the cameras of its upcoming devices, which will significantly improve the zoom range compared to conventional cameras. According to the company, the system uses three periscopic lenses positioned perpendicular to the back of the smartphone, along with a prism to reflect incoming light in the correct direction. The entire module is just over 7mm thick, so a phone with such a module will be quite 'slim'. Oppo says the system will appear on an as-yet-unannounced device that will go on sale in the second quarter.
New authentication methods
Let in Android – the world there are no analogues of Face ID from Apple, but manufacturers are coming up with new ways to unlock the phone.
For example, LG G8 has an infrared camera system called Hand ID that reads the veins in the user's open palm for authentication. The same system allows for gestures away from the screen, such as pinching or swiping to launch apps or turning to control the volume. The phone still has a fingerprint sensor, but Hand ID comes in handy when the phone is on the table.
Speaking of fingerprints, in-screen fingerprint sensors have recently come to market after the demos presented at MWC last year. The first was last year's Huawei Mate 20 Pro and OnePlus 6T, this year the technology was included in the Samsung Galaxy S10. Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo are working on an improved version of the in-screen fingerprint sensor trying to increase the sensor area.
Other bonuses
But phone makers are trying to find other ways to differentiate themselves. Sony has opted for taller, narrower smartphones with the Xperia 1 with a 21: 9 aspect ratio. This is not such a crazy idea, considering the systematic growth of phones in height since 2007, when iPhone came out with an aspect ratio of 3: 2. Meanwhile, Energizer has put its brand on a smartphone from French telecom company Avenir, featuring an 18,000mAh, 18mm thick battery that promises 48 hours of video playback on a single charge.
It's nice to see that Samsung and LG have kept the headphone jacks as part of their flagship devices (Galaxy S10 and G8 ThinQ), even though other manufacturers have decided to follow suit Apple and abandon so hotly favorite connector. LG even pumps up this jack by adding a 32-bit digital-to-analog converter. Samsung is rumored to be ditching the 3.5mm jack with the Galaxy Note 10 later this year, but at least for now, the company has an answer Apple AirPods in the form of new Galaxy Buds that offer a similar pairing process. with a device that many other wireless headphones of this form factor lack.
Strike Back Android
In order to explain last year's nondescript exhibit, I assumed Apple picked up surface features that other manufacturers have 'rolled out' in the past, such as larger diagonal screens, thinner bezels and faster connectivity. At the same time, in areas in which Apple has stepped far ahead – Face ID and the simplest wireless plugs – the company was not so easy to surpass and repeat. As a result, the manufacturers Android – devices are left looking for new ideas.
They received several 'gifts' this year in the form of new technologies such as 5G and foldable devices. But in doing so, they take risks and test their own innovations. For example, Oppo's optical zoom could be a big leap forward in mobile photography, and an under-display fingerprint scanner could replace face recognition. And regardless of your attitude to the new 'puncture', this is a pretty bold design decision.
Some of these innovations will 'shine' better than others, but here's the thing: Through early technology adoption and a willingness to experiment, device manufacturers Android have a unique way to take smartphone development one step further. It's nice to see the observance of this good tradition.
Original material by Jared Newman
MWC 2018 was remembered for just a large number of smartphones with 'cutouts', which helped to finally establish itself in the idea of the secondary nature of such a design, despite the general 'fashion'. And, as the author rightly noted, it is gratifying to observe that manufacturers are trying to make something of their own, original, and not to spy on another 'breakthrough' in Cupertino.
In my opinion, the 10x zoom from Oppo looks quite promising, especially in the context of minimal loss of quality. So far, Hand ID brings only a smile and fleeting references to something similar to SGS4 functionality. The “puncture” in the screen is easily “leveled” by dark wallpaper, but in any case it is better than the “monobrow”. Folding displays are interesting, but only as a test of technology, and it's too early to talk about 5G.
In general, I liked MWC this year more than the previous one, it was interesting to watch and read the reports from the exhibition, for which special thanks to the Mobile-Review landing party. Ahead are interesting novelties and new trends.