Major smartphone brands in China are expected to adopt the ToF 3D sensing camera technology for rear imaging modules of new and upcoming smartphone models. These new devices with the ToF sensors are projected to ship in the second half of this year.

According to a DigiTimes report, these popular Chinese vendors are expected to finalize their plans in the early second quarter of this year. As per a source close to the matter, Meizu has already launched 5G enabled smartphones with the Time of Flight 3D sensors that were supplied by Shenzen based firm, Orbbec Technology. Similarly, China based Wuhan Sillicon Integrated and Ningbo RaySea Technology are also preparing to supply entry level 3D ToF 3D sensing modules for other Chinese smartphone manufacturers.

Furthermore, Taiwan based fingerprint recognition IC design firms are also planning to partner with other Taiwanese LED chip makers, along with other optical device or III-V compound semiconductor makers, which are essential for making ToF 3D sensing modules. This move arrives as competition intensifies for business opportunities for these firms, as per the sources.

Unfortunately, the report does not specifically mention the names of any leading Chinese smartphone manufacturers. Although, if one is offering the ToF sensor on their smartphones, others are likely to follow to not fall behind on the competition. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available.

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Vivo just does not seem to stop innovating in the mobile devices sector. After releasing the first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint reader (the upper-midrange Vivo X20 Plus UD) and the first smartphone to feature a pop-up selfie camera (Vivo NEX and its variants) in order to achieve one of the highest screen-to-body ratios, the Chinese company owned by BBK Electronics has unveiled a new innovative technology. Its name is TOF 3D Sensing Technology (where TOF stands for Time of Flight) and it has been revealed at MWC Shanghai 2018.

TOF 3D Sensing is a technology which works through the camera and it allows capturing depth and 3D information about people and objects. This technology will be useful for several appliances, such as AR, imaging and human-machine interaction. Thanks to the new Vivo’s technology, it is possible to detect the time it takes to emitted pulse light to come back to the sensor, and this allows mapping objects at distances of up to three meters. Further, TOF 3D Sensing is a useful technology for the whole AR sector as it can recognize the users’ gestures and motion recognition. It also has implications in 3D facial recognition used for authentications: indeed, it can capture 3D info with 300,000 sensor points.

According to Vivo, this technology is even superior to the Structured Light technology. Vivo’s technology can be used to beautify selfies after scanning the user’s face and it can even apply virtual clothes to the user. If all goes as expected, we may see this technology even in the gaming sector as it can track gestures, a useful thing for Mixed Reality games. At the moment, we do not know when the first smartphone with the new technology will be released, but it looks very promising and once it hits the market it could be revolutionary.

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