Samsung held a private event for a small number of its business partners at the Shenzhen Marriott Hotel in China where a notable leaker was in attendance who released images over Twitter, announcing Samsung’s plans for a bezel-free, notch-less new display which has integrated sound, haptics, and camera lens into the actual display.
We previously reported on the bezel-free design, but the four new technologies leaked from reliable tipster Ice Universe, are truly innovative.
The four new technologies announced were FoD (Fingerprint on Display), HoD (Haptics on Display), SoD (Sound on Display), and most excitingly UPS (Under Panel Sensors).
FoD isn’t too groundbreaking on the surface, as many other smartphone manufacturers already contain this feature, however, most of them are optical (taking a physical photo of your fingerprint). According to Forbes, Samsung plans to use reverberation to build a 3D map of a user’s fingerprint via ultrasonic pulses.
The updated HoD promises an improved sensation of physical buttons on a display, more than the simple vibration feedback that touchscreen displays currently use.
The new SoD tech plans to eliminate the need for external speakers, and effectively turn the entire screen itself into a single surface to project sound.
UPS is the real groundbreaking feature here. With every other smartphone maker introducing more and more rear camera for the optimum shot, Samsung is planning to hide all front facing camera components – including the lens, iris-scanner, light sensors, and facial recognition sensor – behind the screen, but still be able to see through it when in use.
The ability to include front-facing speakers, front camera, proximity and light sensors as well sound is extremely innovative. It’s so innovative that chances are it might not be ready in time for the S10 release next year.
Leaker Samsung Mobile News predicted this ability but also believed the new technologies would not be ready for retail phones until 2020 at the earliest, but with Samsung’s anniversary next year, it would be a great time to announce the new tech.
Samsung has not released any official announcement or confirmation at the time of writing.
