Vivo debuts smartphone with pop-up camera
Vivo, one of the top smartphone brands in China, released its new flagship line targeting high-end consumers using unique technologies such as a pop-up front camera and a no-notch screen.
The technologies featured have yet to be used among top smartphone brands around the world.
The new Vivo Nex models don’t have a display “notch” which appears in all flagship models, including the iPhone X. It also features a pop-up "selfie" camera which comes from the top edge of the phone when required. Other technologies include an in-display fingerprint sensor which offers better image display and Hi-Fi music support.
The new Nex ranges in price from 3,898 yuan (US$619) to 4,898 yuan for a high-end model with Qualcomm’s top processor, 8 gigabyte memory and 256 GB storage.
The price is still much cheaper compared with iPhone X, but more expensive when compared to models made in China, like Xiaomi’s Mi 8 and Oppo’s R15.
Chinese smartphone vendors face "tough times" as market sales are expected to decline 7.1 percent in 2018, before flattening out in 2019, research firm IDC said.
Firms invest in research and offer models with advanced technologies to woo consumers and grab or hold on to market share, analysts said.
Vivo also announced new AI partnerships with partners like AutoNavi for maps, Alipay in finance, NetEase in gaming and iFlytek for its voice recognition. It also joined hands with Epic, the world’s biggest game engine vendor, for game experience optimization using Epic’s Unreal engine. The technologies are all available in the new Nex models.