We, have already compiled a list of the Best 2020 Smartphones and Best 2020 Wearables. Among this, I am privileged to cover the most exciting topic that one could wait for – Concept Smartphones. Despite the rollercoaster ride the industry had, we saw some cool concepts of Smartphones in 2020. From the retracting cameras to rollable displays, companies have come a long way in experimenting with new technologies.

Although many of these concepts never see the light of the day, they do give a glimpse at what’s in store in our future. One such example would be foldable displays which, in 2021, is definitely going mainstream across different price points. That said, let’s look at some of the best concepts that came out this year.

Xiaomi Retractable Camera concept

At the MIDC 2020, Xiaomi unveiled a concept by which a Telescopic Camera physically retracts (when not in use) inside a smartphone. This wide-aperture lens technology is inspired by conventional cameras in the market. This mechanism has two major advantages- more light, and videos without shake.

Precisely, such a wider aperture increases the amount of light by 300%(better for night mode) and produces a 20% crispier and stable image using the anti-shake feature. As you can see above, the retractable optical structure allows the lens to lodge in just like any point-shoot camera, and its response time is supposed to be quicker as well.

OnePlus McLaren (Concept One) / 8T Concept

Back in January, OnePlus showcased it’s Concept One smartphone at CES 2020. This product is developed in collaboration with McLaren. It’s typically an OnePlus 7T Pro but has color shifting glass technology on the camera layout which is an Electrochromic Glass. Simply put, the glass changes from transparent to translucent (here it occurs in 0.7sec) if you vary the current/light through it.

You can spot these glasses on the sunroofs of some premium cars, Aeroplanes and buildings’ windows, etc. However, the significance of using it here is, it acts as a neutral density filter to capture the best shots in bright light scenarios.

Recently, OnePlus also revealed what could have been a cool addition to the tally of the OnePlus 8T models. This concept phone has a rear glass with a metal oxide film underneath. Similar to the concept above, the glass changes color (dark blue to light silver) as you vary the voltage across it.

Inspired by the hot springs of Pamukkale in Turkey, the concept, when paired with a radar module (based on mmWave) on the camera housing, responds to gestures like waving hands (for call accept/reject), sense breathing, etc. Precisely, it transmits/receives EM waves and works in conjunction with CPU, DSP to locate and track objects.

EDITOR’S PICK: Gizmochina’s Best Android Smartphones of 2020 / Best Mid-Range smartphones of 2020 (India)

Vivo Apex 2020 / Color Changing panel concept

After the cancellation of MWC 2020, Vivo showcased its Apex 2020 Concept in February. The portless-smartphone has a 6.45-inch FullView Edgeless Waterfall display. Precisely, the display has a whopping 120° curved edges. The device also features an under-display 16MP selfie camera by increasing light-transmittance to that portion of the display by 6x times.

Vivo didn’t skimp on the cameras either. The rear layout has a 16MP active moving lens which Vivo coined as the “continuous optical zoom”(5x to 7.5x Optical) feature. Additionally, the device has a 48MP Gimbal-like camera (200% more stability than OIS), 60W wireless charging.

Just like OnePlus, Vivo also tapped into the peculiar property of the Electrochromic Glass tech in a color-changing panel concept. That is, the rear panel adopts the concept of Electrochromism where the color/opacity of material changes when the voltage is varied.

As you can see in the video below, the color changes from Blue to Silver to a Gradient of Purple colors. This is made possible by sandwiching two transparent electrodes and Glass sheets with an Electrochromic film in the middle. Nevertheless, this tech has all the possibilities to make it to commercial devices in the form of dynamic rear panels.

TCL rollable/ tri-fold concept

TCL, a brand famous for Smart TVs, out of nowhere, showed two Concept renders of smartphones in March 2020. One has a rollable screen and the other is a tri-foldable display design. The displays, which are from the in-house TCL-CSOT, feature a flexible AMOLED technology.

Further, the tri-fold device helps a 10-inch tablet contract into a smartphone with a 6.65-inch screen. It has an aspect ratio of 20.8:9 and a 3K resolution. The company also had two types of hinges- DragonHinge and ButterflyHinge. The former is like Galaxy Fold while the latter resembles Huawei Mate X.

Besides, the highlight of the two concepts was the rollable display. Accordingly, the AMOLED display extends sideways to a 7.8-inch screen and retracts to a 6.75-inch display on pushing a button. However, unlike the tri-fold above, it uses a motorized mechanism so you don’t have to push it manually.

TCL, in a video(as shown below), showcased that the display adapts to either of the given screen real estates in real-time. This makes additional features like multi-tasking, split-screen windows a joy to use.

OPPO X 2021 Concept

Last, but not least, and my personal favorite, is the OPPO X 2021 extending display Concept. Although TCL was like a front-runner of sorts, OPPO unveiled a working prototype of the tech making it a first of its kind. At the INNO DAY 2020, OPPO showcased a device whose display extends from 6.7 to 7.4-inches.

The display is obviously an OLED screen and it rolls into the frame via a 6.8mm Roll Motor and a proprietary rollable concept design. Additionally, you can also see a 2-in-1 support frame plate inside for taking care of the rolled-up screen. Apart from this, OPPO also used a 0.1mm Warp Track laminate to protect the screen.

That’s it! Those were some of the coolest smartphone concepts of 2020. Heading into next year, we expect some of these ideas to evolve into a whole new array of explosive out-of-the-box products from the brands. And we are as excited as you are.

Perhaps, if we ask you whether you would’ve imagined the feasibility of these at the beginning of this decade, what would have been your answer? Let us know down in the comments below!

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Vivo has just launched the latest iteration of its Apex concept smartphone series, the Apex 2020. It arrives with top notch specs and some very unique and one of its kind features. So here’s a couple of hands on images of the newly unveiled device.

Waterfall Display and a Unique Aesthetic

Right off the bat, the most prominent feature one will notice on the Vivo Apex 2020 is its display. The entirety of the front is mostly covered by its display, which the company has dubbed as the “FullView Edgeless Display.” It is an extension of its Waterfall display which was also seen in the Nex 3, a commercial version of the Apex 2019. However, what differs from the latter is that the degree of curve, which is an impressive 120 degrees over the 88 degrees found in the previous iteration.

This alongside the under display selfie camera on the front allows Vivo to offer a completely immersive viewing experience. The notch on the top and the chin on the bottom are barely noticeable while the sides are wrapped by the display. It also means that the company has achieved a very high screen to body ratio. For dimensions, the Apex 2020 is 157.25 × 66.2 × 8.8mm and weighs 169 grams in total.

The Gimbal Stabilized Camera and Colors

Another great innovation found in the Vivo Apex 2020 is its primary camera module on the rear. Being inspired by a chameleon’s eyes, the company built a camera system that offers a complete optical zoom of 5x to 7.5x thanks to its moving lenses. This, in turn, has the rear camera module being housed in a circular format. Notably, the company has made the device in both Black and White colors.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo Apex 2020 is finally here, features a unique Camera, 60W Wireless fast charging and Curved display

Here is where things get interesting, the white variant clearly highlights the camera module on the rear. Thus, the Apex 2020 resembles an advanced and 2020 version of the Nokia Lumia 1020. The latter was known to feature a whopping 41 megapixel camera, something that was not seen until years after. Nokia’s Lumia 1020 represented innovation and possible growth in smartphone photography, and the Apex 2020 is another perfect example of the same.

Apart from this, a recurring aspect of the Vivo Apex series also makes a return here. The Apex 2020 has no seams, ports or buttons. Meaning, the smartphone is almost completely made out of a single cut, giving it a very minimalistic design as well. No ports include no charging port either, and this where the company pulled out its trump card of 60W wireless fast charging.

Quick Specs

The Vivo Apex 2020 features Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 865 SoC under the hood. For memory, it houses 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It sports a 1080p resolution and runs the latest Android 10 OS. Its front camera is a 16 megapixel sensor while the rear houses a 48 megapixel primary lens and a telephoto lens with varying optical magnification capabilities.

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(Source:1,2)

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Vivo had been teasing its latest concept flagship smartphone for a while, even up till this morning. But now, its finally here as the company launched the Vivo Apex 2020. It arrives with many first of its kind features ranging from cameras display and more.

Vivo Apex 2020

The concept flagship was initially slated to be unveiled during the MWC 2020 in Barcelona. Unfortunately, ever since the cancelation of the major event, many OEMs like Vivo lost a stage for various launches. However, the company in a special launch event earlier today (28th February 2020) has finally announced the Apex 2020.

Design and Specifications

One of the highlighting features of the Vivo Apex 2020 is undoubtedly its display. It sports a 6.45 inch “FullView Edgeless Display” with a 120 degree curved edge. In other words, its a curve far beyond what last year’s flagship the Vivo Nex 3 featured and has been aptly dubbed as a “waterfall display.” Similar to previous iterations, the Vivo Apex 2020 doesn’t feature any ports, opening or seams. In its stead, the smartphone is equipped with virtual buttons.

Furthermore, the notch on the Apex 2020 is almost nonexistent, and impressively, the Apex 2020 has managed to successfully integrate a 16 megapixel selfie camera right under the display. Vivo stated that this was achieved thanks to an increase in light transmittance in the portion of the display that houses the camera by 6 times. The company has even heavily relied on software algorithms to achieve better image quality.

Under the hood, the Vivo Apex 2020 features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 SoC with the X55 5G Modem. It is also equipped with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The display resolution is 1080p and the phone weighs 169 grams. The device runs the latest Android 10 and arrives in both Black and White colors as well.

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Camera

When talking about smartphone cameras, Vivo isn’t exactly the first name that pops into one’s mind. However, it seems that the company has outdone itself with various first of its kind technologies. The rear camera module features what Vivo calls the “continuous optical zoom” lens. In simpler terms, unlike most flagship telephoto/periscopic lens which feature both optical and digital zoom to achieve magnified results; the Vivo Apex 2020 presents an actual moving lens, enabling magnification capabilities ranging from 5x to 7.5x zoom.

Vivo stated that the 16 megapixel lens is just 6.2mm thick due to its periscopic design, allowing it to be housed in the 8.8mm body. But the innovation doesn’t end there, the company has made a major breakthrough in the industry with its Gimbal-like stabilizing camera for its 48 megapixel primary camera. Vivo claims this provides an increase in stabilization by over 200 percent in comparison to current OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) standards of today.

Apparently, the company designs for the new camera module was inspired by the moving eyes of a chameleon, helping it better track objects. Although, it is currently unknown just what implications and practical uses the design will offer in real life. Just to put it into perspective, a gimbal-like stabilization and optical zoom of this caliber are generally seen in proper handheld cameras, so it is nothing short of an impressive feat that has been achieved.

Battery and 60W Wireless Fast Charging

Yes, you read it right. The Vivo Apex 2020 supports 60W wireless fast charging. Since the smartphone has no ports, wireless charging is the only way to go, and the company pulled out every trick up its sleeve to make it highly practical. Vivo claims that the technology can charge a 2,000mAh battery pack in just 20 minutes. Thus, this wireless charging technology is capable of even rivaling most wired fast charging solutions out there.

Conclusion

The Apex 2020 is the culmination of efforts from Vivo’s dedicated R&D department, engineers, designers and a whole lot more. Although the device wouldn’t see a mass commercial launch, it still showcases the innovation the smartphone industry has to offer. Each iteration in the Apex series brings new things to the table, and the 2020 edition has just raised the bar. We may see a new Vivo Nex device that brings a lot of these features to a commercial device in the near future, but as of right now, the device remains a concept smartphone and will not be available for purchase.

So let us know in the comments down below about what you think of this smartphone.

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Vivo has just teased the Apex 2020 again. This time the company revealed certain highlighting features regarding the upcoming flagship smartphone, which will be equipped with a 120 degree FullView Edgeless Display and more.

The details were revealed on Twitter through the official account of Vivo India’s Director of Brand Strategy, Nipun Marya. In the tweet, the senior executive shared a couple of noteworthy points about the upcoming Apex 2020, alongside a short trailer video that showcases its curved display. The company has described this technology as the 120° FullView Edgeless Display.

Here it is guys, futuristic vision beyond imagination – the #Apex2020.

– 120° FullView Edgeless Display
– Wireless Super FlashCharge 60W
– Gimbal-Stabilizing Main Camera
– Half screen fingerprint sensor

A stunning #SmartPhone for the technophiles. pic.twitter.com/qbQeSlVJ3u

— Nipun Marya (@nipunmarya) February 28, 2020

Furthermore, Nipun gave out additional information regarding the Apex 2020 as well. The flagship smartphone will feature a Gimbal-Stabilizing Main Camera, which was previously teased as well with the PTZ camera module we had previously reported on. Apart from this, the Director mentioned that the Vivo Apex 2020 will feature a Wireless Super FlashCharge 60W; which is one of the fastest wireless fast charging rates that is currently available in the industry.

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The final point shared by Nipun Marya was regarding the fingerprint scanner. According to him, the Vivo Apex 2020 will sport a Half screen fingerprint sensor. What this exactly means is a mystery, but is probably a new form or variant of the popular in display fingerprint scanner that is common today; especially since the front of the handset is observed to mostly be covered by the display. In other words, the front will have negligible borders on the top and bottom while the sides feature none at all.

The Vivo Apex 2020 is proving to be quite an interesting launch to look out for. The smartphone is expected to arrive with top notch specs from the current generation and with these unique features, it has proven to be a highly anticipated smartphone. So stay tuned for more such teasers or leaks as the launch event is almost here.

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Vivo APEX 2020 will be unveiled tomorrow at 4 PM (local time) in China. Ahead of the launch, the Chinese firm has been consistently spilling information on the innovative features that will arriving on the APEX 2020 concept phone. Today, the company released a new poster which hints that the phone will possess crazy 60W fast wireless charging technology.

Vivo has shared a new poster on Weibo which showcases the APEX 2020 phone with “60W” mentioned behind it. The machine translated text of the Weibo post reads that the APEX 2020 will not amazing display and imaging capabilities, but also it will offer ultra-fast flash wireless charging. There is no information available on the battery size of the APEX 2020.

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In theory, the blazing fast 60W wireless charging technology seems twice faster than 30W wireless charging feature available on Xiaomi Mi 10 series. The other phones that come with rapid wireless charging are 30W on Huawei Mate 30 Pro and 25W on Samsung Galaxy S20 series. Considering the fact that the APEX 2020 will come with 60W wireless charging, it may offer even faster wired charging capabilities.

Past reports have revealed that the Vivo APEX 2020 may come with a marvelous curved display that will offer full screen experience. It may support a high refresh rate of 120Hz. The teasers of the smartphone have revealed that it will be equipped with a round-shaped camera module that will house first of its kind PTZ (Pan Tilt Zoom) camera. The APEX 2020 is expected to offer 5x to 7.5x optical zoom capabilities. The Snapdragon 865 mobile platform will be powering the device. The other specifications of the smartphone are still a mystery.

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Vivo recently teased its upcoming flagship, the  Vivo Apex 2020, again. However, this time the company revealed tidbits of information regarding the unique camera module that the device will arrive with.

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer shared multiple image posters on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging website. According to the post, it appears that the Vivo Apex 2020 will arrive with a rather unique camera system. In other words, a one of the first of its kind PTZ camera (Pan Tilt Zoom). Furthermore, other phrases like “Gimbal-stabilizing Camera-Super Stable Micro PTZ Camera” was also stated along with the teaser.

Looking at the image, the Vivo Apex 2020’s circular camera module can be observed alongside a 360 degree indicating lines, which represent the angles of motions. In simpler terms, it implies a smartphone with a moving mechanism on the camera module. However, how it functions exactly and its workings are still a mystery. So we will have to wait for the official launch event on 28th February 2020.

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For those unaware, PTZ is commonly used as an add on to any photographic device. Basically, it serves the purpose of stabilizing images and making the output results in a lot more clearer and also deliver a more stable experience. Thus, if Vivo has succeeded in building such a complex mechanical structure like a gimbal into a smartphone, then it can be termed as a remarkable breakthrough in the smartphone industry.

This is not the first time the company has brought on new innovation in the mobile photography field. Back in 2014, Vivo was the world’s first to introduce an F1.8 aperture optical image stabilization. Similarly, in 2018, the company released the ToF 3D Super induction technology as well. So, it can be assumed that the 2020 Vivo Apex will bring about a unique shifting/rotating camera module that could potentially push the innovation in smartphone photography further.

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With the launch of the 2020 Vivo Apex being just around the corner, the company has teased the device online. Vivo‘s official Weibo account, a Chinese microblogging website, shared a poster that teased one of the upcoming smartphone highlight camera features.

According to the poster image shared, it is pretty apparent that the 2020 Vivo Apex will arrive with a zoom function. In other words, the handset will arrive with a telephoto or periscopic lens with optical zoom and may even arrive with digital hybrid zoom as well. This is clearly to create hype for its imminent launch and it does leave some anticipation regarding the smartphone.

Unfortunately, finer details regarding the exact specification about the camera and other critical details were promptly left out, so there is not a lot of information at hand. However, looking at the image, it details multiple lenses stacked on top of one another to create the word ZOOM. This may be indicative of its impressive zoom properties over its suggested 5x to 7.5x optical zoom capabilities.

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Notably, the word “continuous” is also suggested in the teaser that implies a new functionality altogether. It may be indicative of the 2020 Vivo Apex’s new zoom lens, which could allow for optical zoom at different focal lengths. Although this is just speculation so take it with a grain of salt.

Previously, the Vivo XPlay 6 was launched back in 2016, and arrive with “full pixel dual core focusing” which brought DSLR-like focusing functions to smartphones. In recent years, mobile phones have increasingly become a compact and convenient replacement to handheld cameras, so it won’t come as a surprise if the successor to the original Vivo Apex concept smartphone brings new breakthroughs in the smartphone industry. So stay tuned for more coverage on the smartphone and its launch.

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Vivo has today revealed that the company’s next-generation Apex-series smartphone — Vivo APEX 2020 Concept Smartphone will be officially unveiled in its home country China on 28th February at 11:00 AM local time.

The company was expected to announce its APEX 2020 Concept Smartphone at the Mobile World Congress 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. However, as the MWC 2020 conference got cancelled due to concerns related to coronavirus, Vivo was forced to change it launch schedule and has now revealed that the phone will be showcased on 28th February in Beijing, China.

Making this announcement, Vivo said that the upcoming APEX 2020 represents vivo’s prediction and layout of mobile phone development and technological innovation in 2020, said the company.

The company has also released the first teaser poster for the smartphone that shows faintly curved screen and the number “120” which could be 120Hz screen or something complete different. Another image shows the back of the phone with periscope zoom camera for loss-less zoom.

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For those who are unaware, Vivo’s Apex series for smartphones is known for launching devices with the latest as well as experimental technology. The upcoming device also hints at what we could expect from the company’s upcoming flagship smartphones.

Previously leaked renders of the upcoming smartphone suggest that the Vivo APEX 2020 will continue to have bezel-less design and apparently a super-high screen-to-body ratio. The device will utilise the in-display fingerprint sensor and would have a curved-edge display design.

It is also said that while APEX 2018 and APEX 2019 utilised a pop-up camera design, this year’s model will likely ditch that and may have an under-screen selfie camera. On the back side, there’s a circular Oreo-shaped main camera module with a rectangular optical zoom lens. The upcoming device will also come with 5G connectivity and fast charging technology support.

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(Source)

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Since the Vivo APEX Concept smartphone was launched in 2018, the device has often become a reference point when discussing true bezel-less phones. The tech giant later unveiled a 2019 edition and is expected to do the same this year. The unofficial renders of the Vivo APEX 2020 Concept Phone have been shared by tipster Ben Geskin.

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The renders suggest the Vivo APEX 2020 will continue with a bezel-less design and apparently a super-high screen-to-body ratio. The device will utilise the in-display fingerprint sensor and would have a curved-edge display design. The APEX 2018 and APEX 2019 utilised a pop-up camera design but this year’s model will likely ditch that and may have an under-screen selfie camera.

The design of the back of the phone is also very interesting. A circular Oreo-shaped main camera with a rectangular optical zoom lens. Ben Geskin says the APEX 2020 will come with 5-7.5X Optical Zoom and 48MP Gimbal Camera. The rear camera is housed in a circular module which holds just the Optical zoom sensor and a 48MP camera, Interestingly, there is no ultrawide angle camera and LED flash onboard. The device will also feature 5G connectivity. The body won’t have any opening and will still utilise a wireless fast charging method and virtual buttons.

Despite how interesting this concept renders look, Vivo will still not mass-produce the model. Instead, we expect some of the feature to be onboard the Vivo NEX 20

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(source)

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