The Pokémon Company today unveiled new information about its upcoming mobile game, Pokémon Masters. The new game was created in partnership with DeNA, the mobile developer behind official Nintendo apps like Fire Emblem Heroes and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.
In Pokémon Masters, players will be tasked with forming a team of Pokémon Trainers to engage in 3-on-3 real-time battles with other AI Trainers. The game takes place on the island of Pasio, a place where the typical rules of Pokémon battles are different than other regions.
Instead of turn-based battles, Pokémon Masters will focus on a feature called "sync pairs," which lets players team up with well-known Trainers from previous Pokémon games, and their partner Pokémon. There will be 65 total sync pairs to recruit in the game at launch, and additional sync pairs will release at a later date.
The game involves players forming a team of three total sync pairs, and fighting in real-time 3-versus-3 battles against other AI-controlled sync pairs. This means that the typical aspect of most other Pokémon games -- collecting Pokémon -- will not be present in Pokémon Masters.
Pokémon Masters introduces a new way to battle in the Pokémon world. Players will command a squad of three sync pairs in real-time team battles and release a barrage of moves—all while the AI opponent unleashes theirs at the same time.
For the very first time in a Pokémon game, players can also direct Trainers in battle to use moves and healing items to increase a Pokémon’s stats. In addition to standard moves, players can occasionally deploy sync moves—powerful attacks performed by specific sync pairs.
Pokémon Masters will launch as a free-to-start game with in-app purchases on iOS and Android devices sometime later this summer.
Signify today announced that it's going to be easier to get started with the Philips Hue line of lights thanks to a new standalone Bluetooth bulb offering.
The new Philips Hue with Bluetooth bulbs allow those who are newcomers to the Hue ecosystem to get started with a single light. Each of the Bluetooth bulbs can be controlled via an app using Bluetooth, with no need for the Philips Hue Bridge that's normally required for Hue lights.
Using the new Philips Hue Bluetooth app, users can turn the lights on and off, dim the lights, set the lights to millions of colors or different shades of light, select pre-set scenes, and enable multiple users to control the lights.
There are three versions of the Bluetooth bulbs: White ($14.99), White Ambiance ($24.99), and White and Color Ambiance ($49.99). They're available in the A19 bulb shape and the BR30 downlight.
Because there's no bridge involved these standalone Bluetooth bulbs are not HomeKit enabled, but for people who purchase them and decide to then expand to a larger Hue ecosystem, the bridge can be added at a later date and the bulbs can be connected like any other existing Hue bulbs.
Philips Hue Bluetooth bulbs do work with Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Nest smart display even without the Philips Hue Bridge.
The new Philips Hue Bluetooth lights are available from the Philips Hue website and Amazon starting today.
We've partnered with Eve to offer our readers a new exclusive promotion that discounts the Eve Room by 20 percent for a limited time. In other deals going on this week, Amazon has a new sale that is discounting the all-new 13-inch MacBook Pro to new low prices, reaching up to $199 off the original cost of the notebooks.
Exclusive Eve Room Discount
To see this deal, head to Evehome.com, add the Eve Room to your cart, click on the "Have a promo code?" prompt at the top of the checkout screen, and enter the code MacRumors20 to take 20 percent off the device. This will discount the $99.95 Eve Room down to $79.96 for the length of the sale, which will last through Thursday, July 11.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The promo code only applies to a single Eve Room and will not apply to the retailer's double pack of Eve Room units that you can buy for $179.90. Head to Evehome.com to browse and purchase the Eve Room before the sale ends.
The Eve Room is a small, palm-sized device that can track the temperature, humidity, and air quality within your home, and connects to Apple's HomeKit platform so you can ask Siri about the air quality. When it detects harmful in-home pollutants, Eve Room can give you a heads up about opening a window or turning on an air purifier, ensuring that your home's air is as clean as possible.
2019 13-Inch MacBook Pro Sale
Amazon is discounting the all-new 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro with new low prices that knock $199 off the original prices of the notebooks. Both the 256GB and 512GB models are on sale, available in both Space Gray and Silver. All of the models listed below have the Touch Bar as well.
Apple updated the MacBook Pro last month with new 13-inch and 15-inch Touch Bar models that include new 8th and 9th generation Intel processors, as well as updated butterfly keyboard technology. These MacBook Pros include a T2 chip with enhanced security, support for Hey Siri, a 10 hour battery life, and Touch ID with Apple Pay support on the Touch Bar.
For more sales and bargains, head to our full Deals Roundup.
Apple on Monday seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 13 software update to its public beta testing group, giving non-developers a chance to try out the new Apple TV software ahead of its public release in the fall.
tvOS 13 introduces several changes to the Apple TV interface, including a new Home screen designed to make it easier to find new content. It also introduces multi-user support, a picture-in-picture mode, console controller support as part of the upcoming Apple Arcade game subscription service, and more.
But before you rush to install the tvOS 13 beta, it's worth remembering that this is pre-release software, so don't expect things to work trouble-free. Beta software is typically unstable, as it often contains bugs and issues that have yet to be ironed out. Still interested? Then read on.
Is tvOS 13 Compatible With My Apple TV?
tvOS 13 is designed to run on the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models (Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K, respectively). It is not compatible with earlier versions of the Apple TV, because those models do not support tvOS.
How to Enroll in the Apple Beta Software Program
To download and install the tvOS 13 beta, you must enroll in the free Apple Beta Software Program. If you're already enrolled, you can skip these steps and jump to the next section.
Enter your Apple ID credentials and tap the Sign in button.
Agree to the Apple Beta Software Program terms and conditions if necessary.
How to Download and Install tvOS 13 on Apple TV
Once your Apple TV is enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program, you'll need to carry out the following steps on the set-top box.
From your Apple TV, click through to Settings -> Accounts.
Under Apple ID, sign into at least one of the account options (iCloud, iTunes and App Store, or Game Center) with the same Apple ID that you used to register for the Apple Beta Software Program.
On your Apple TV, click through to Settings -> System -> Software Update.
Click Get Public Beta Updates to turn it on.
Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the process.
Your Apple TV should automatically download and install the latest public beta software if you have Automatically Update turned on in the Software Updates settings, but you can always manually check for updates by clicking through to Settings -> System -> Software Updates -> Update Software.
WhatsApp is testing a feature that enables users to share their WhatsApp Status posts over Facebook, Instagram, and other services.
WhatsApp's Status feature works a lot like Stories do in Instagram, in that users can use the option to stitch together photos and video to express themselves in a way words alone might not allow them to.
The idea behind WhatsApp Status sharing is that it will allow users to post their status directly to their Facebook story, Instagram Story, Gmail, Google Photos, or other service.
WhatsApp told The Verge that the sharing feature doesn't link accounts on the two services in any way, and instead transfers the data on-device using Android and iOS data-sharing APIs.
Even when sharing to another Facebook-owned service like Instagram, WhatsApp says the two posts remain separate events and are not associated in Facebook's systems.
Regardless of that explanation, relating the two platforms in the public consciousness has become a risky business for Facebook ever since it acquired WhatsApp in 2014.
The company said at the time that it wouldn't collect data from the end-to-end encrypted messaging service, but then two years later it began doing exactly that for ad-targeting purposes.
In 2016 the company had to end the collection of WhatsApp user data across Europe, including the phone number a user verifies during the registration process and the last time a user accessed the service, after privacy watchdogs slammed the practice and regulators demanded it be stopped.
A report today from Japan-based Asahi claims Apple plans to invest millions in LCD panel supplier Japan Display Inc (JDI) to aid its restructuring, after the firm's bailout plan fell through on the withdrawal of a key backer.
According to Asahi, JDI is set to receive a $100 million investment from Apple, news that has sent the panel maker's shares up as much as 32 percent in Tokyo.
As part of the investment, Apple will also reportedly increase LCD panel orders from JDI at the expense of some of its orders from China.
News of Apple's intentions come at a crucial time for the ailing LCD panel supplier, which had been waiting on a proposed investment of $230 million from Taiwan's TPK Holding to cover its losses, before the proposal was withdrawn last week.
Financial firm CGL Group also dropped its investment plans earlier this month, leaving JDI unsure whether other members in the Chinese-Taiwanese consortium would follow through with their own bailout proposals.
JDI relies on Apple for more than half of its sales, but its mainstay LCD business has been hit heavily by less-than-stellar sales of the iPhone XR and the growing adoption of OLED panel technology.
That has left the supplier scrambling to invest in OLED production to turn around its business, which saw a $2.3 billion loss in 2018.
A report in April claimed JDI would supply the OLED screens for this year's new Apple Watch model.
If the firm can stay afloat it could potentially do the same for future iPhones, which would help Apple diversify its supply chain and allow the tech giant to reduce its heavy reliance on Samsung for the newer OLED display tech.
Apple in June unveiled new versions of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, but the TV update, tvOS 13, hasn't received much coverage, so we thought we'd go hands-on with the software so MacRumors readers know what to expect when tvOS 13 launches this fall.
tvOS updates are always more minor in scale than other software updates, but tvOS 13 brings a decent number of new features worth checking out.
After installing tvOS 13, the first thing that's noticeable is a new Home screen. The updated Home screen does away with the top menu bar and the Watch Now screen that used to be front and center, replacing it with icons that include Apple TV, the App Store, iTunes movies, iTunes TV shows, and Apple Music.
Watch Now is now only accessible within the TV app rather than being available right when you turn the Apple TV on. Instead of displaying Watch Now content, highlighting the TV app on the Home screen offers up a "What to Watch" interface with content recommendations.
Highlighting the App Store brings up app recommendations, and the same is true for Movies and TV shows. The Apple Music icon shows "Today's Video Hits" with autoplay silent video.
Apps are able to play full-screen video previews right on the Home screen, which is similar to how content autoplays in Netflix when you're browsing through available TV shows and Movies.
tvOS 13 brings a new Picture-in-Picture mode, designed to let you watch TV shows or movies while you're navigating through the rest of the tvOS 13 operating system. Controls at the bottom of the picture-in-picture interface allow for returning to full screen, pausing content, and closing the picture-in-picture window.
Multiple users are supported in tvOS 13, so more than one profile is available on the Apple TV. Each member of the family can sign into their own Apple TV profiles to get customized Watch Now lists, content recommendations, and Apple Music playlists. Switching between profiles can be done through the new Control Center. The Control Center includes the time and date, easy access to search, a Now Playing widget, AirPlay controls, a sleep feature, and an option to switch between users.
There's a new Apple Music feature that displays scrolling lyrics synced in time with the music that's playing, and Apple has added a new Wireless Audio Sync option that uses the iPhone's microphone to calibrate audio synced to Apple TV, such as through a speaker system.
tvOS 13 gets the Apple TV ready for Apple Arcade, Apple's upcoming subscription gaming service. As part of Apple Arcade preparations, Apple has added support for the Xbox Wireless Bluetooth Controller and the PlayStation DualShock 4 Controller, allowing gaming controllers many people already have at home to be used with App Store games.
There are also new screensavers in tvOS 13, which were created by the BBC Natural History Unit, aka the team behind the "Blue Planet" series. These new screensavers showcase the deep ocean around the world, showing off under-the-sea creatures and scenes. The new screensavers don't appear to be active in the beta, but will be available when tvOS 13 launches.
Right now, tvOS 13 is available to both developers and public beta testers, and Apple is planning to launch it in the fall after a few months of beta testing to work out bugs and refine features.
Google today announced several new features coming to YouTube, all of which are designed to give users more control over the kind of content that appears on the Homepage and in Up Next video suggestions.
For removing video suggestions from channels users are uninterested in, there's a new YouTube option called "Don't recommend channel." It's accessible by tapping on the three-dot menu next to a video on the homepage or Up Next. After tapping it, users will no longer see videos from the channel as suggested content.
The "Don't recommend channel" option will be available on mobile devices first before expanding to the desktop.
Along with an option to stop a channel from being recommended, YouTube is adding more detail on why certain videos have been recommended. There's a small box underneath recommended videos that lets YouTube users know why a video has been surfaced. The feature is available for iOS users today and will be coming to Android and desktop in the future.
YouTube is also gaining new tools to make it easier to explore topics and related videos, such as baking videos, or a favorite music genre. Options presented to YouTube users are based on existing personalized suggestions and can be found on the homepage when scrolling up or on Up Next when browsing. This feature is available for Android users currently and will be expanding to iOS and desktop in the future.
All of the new features are rolling out starting today, but could take some time to expand to all users.
Apple wanted to make a wireless charger, the AirPower, that could charge the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once no matter where the devices were placed on the charger, but ultimately, the idea didn't work out and the AirPower was shelved.
That's led multiple companies to come out with AirPower-style charging accessories that are able to provide power to multiple devices at once, and the AirUnleashed is one such product.
Priced at $99, the AirUnleashed promises to charge the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at the same time with a single oval-shaped wireless charging mat. The catch is that the devices need to be placed in specific spots on the charger rather than anywhere.
Design wise, the AirUnleashed is a simple flat wireless charging mat with a suede-like microfiber coating. Two "+" icons let you know where to place the iPhone and the AirPods, while the indentation at towards the middle right lets you know where the watch needs to go.
The Apple Watch needs to be specifically placed in this spot because the Apple Watch uses a magnetic inductive charger (underneath the mat's surface) and is not able to charge via Qi wireless charging. The larger charging spot on the left side of the mat is designed for the iPhone, and the smaller charging spot is meant for AirPods.
The AirUnleashed has a design that's reminiscent of the AirPower. In fact, it straight up copies the AirPower's design, which would have been an issue had the AirPower ever launched. It's a fine design -- Apple came up with it after all -- and it doesn't take up too much room on a desk.
Flat charging like this is fine for the AirPods and the iPhone, but when it comes to the Apple Watch, it's not great with the loop-style bands. With my Sport Loop, for example, I can't use this charger without taking the band off or twisting it out of the way, which is a hassle compared to other watch charging options better suited to loop bands.
I didn't have issues getting any of my devices to charge, but aligning everything properly sometimes required more attention than I generally prefer to give to a wireless charger. I also imagine it could be finicky to use in the dark.
The charging coil on the on the left of the device is 7.5W, so it can charge your iPhone at full speeds, and the charging coil on the right is 5W, so it can charge the AirPods at full speed or an iPhone at a slower speed. The Apple Watch charger is 2W.
You'd probably expect the AirUnleashed to be able to charge all three devices at their maximum charging speeds at one time given that it's meant to be a three device charger, but there's a catch. The maximum wireless output of the AirUnleashed is 11.27W because of a 75 percent conversion rate, so with three devices on the charger, it's not going to charge them at the full power they're capable of receiving.
My iPhone X charged from 0 to 41 percent over the course of an hour when it was the only device on the charger, but with AirPods and an Apple Watch also charging at the same time, that dropped down to 37 percent over the course of an hour. It's not a huge difference, but this isn't going to be a charger you'll want to grab when in a time crunch.
The slower charging speed is fine over the course of a day if you've got it on your desk, or at night. If you have a Samsung phone or another device that can charge at 10W, the AirUnleashed's right side charger does support 10W charging, though the same caveats with charging speed and multiple devices apply. The AirUnleashed is unfortunately not great for charging two smartphones at once because of space constraints when the Apple Watch is charging and because of the speed limitations.
It's worth noting that the AirUnleashed needs to be powered with a QC 2.0 or higher charger with an output of 10W, which it does not ship with, so that's something you'll need to buy if you don't have one already.
Bottom Line
Despite the name, the AirUnleashed is no true AirPower alternative given the fact that devices need to be placed in specific spots for charging, but this kind of solution is the best multi-device charging option we're going to get since the AirPower failed.
I think $99 is a lot to pay for a 7.5W charger, a 5W charger, and an Apple Watch charger in a device that doesn't have the capabilities to charge all three products at maximum speeds at once, but for those who don't mind slightly slower charging, like the now-defunct AirPower's design, and want the convenience of having an all-in-one charging setup, the AirUnleashed may be an appealing wireless charging option.
Google in May announced a new privacy-focused auto-delete option for automatically removing Location History and Web & App Activity after a set period of time, and the feature is now rolling out to Google users.
Google users who have these options enabled can choose to delete their information manually, every three months, or every 18 months. Opting in to auto-delete will allow Google to regularly clear out stored data at either the three or 18 month mark.
Prior to the implementation of the new feature, Google allowed Location History and Web & App Activity to be disabled or manually deleted, but there were no controls for regular deletion, which may encourage more people to use functions like Location History.
Location History tracks the locations that you've visited, while Web & App Activity tracks websites you've visited and apps that you've used. Google uses this information for recommendations and cross device syncing.
Auto-delete options for Location History are rolling out around the world starting today on iOS and Android, with the rollout expected to take a few weeks. Auto-delete options for Web & App Activity will be coming later.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced three years ago in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 86 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for JavaScript, Web Assembly, WebRTC, Web API, CSS, Security, Experimental Web Shading Language, WebGPU, and Web Inspector.
The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS Mojave and macOS Catalina, the newest version of the Mac operating system that was introduced at the June Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple’s aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Multiple reports have indicated that Apple plans to transition to its own ARM-based processors in Macs starting as early as 2020, and the company recently made a significant hire that lends credence to that objective.
ARM's lead CPU and system architect Mike Filippo joined Apple last month, based out of the Austin, Texas area, according to his LinkedIn profile. Filippo led the development of several chips at ARM between 2009 and 2019, including the Cortex-A76, Cortex-A72, Cortex-A57, and upcoming 7nm+ and 5nm chips.
Filippo also served as Intel's lead CPU and system architect between 2004 and 2009, and he was a chip designer at AMD between 1996 and 2004, so he brings a wealth of chipmaking experience with him to Apple.
Filippo's profile still lists his ARM role as ongoing, but social media talk suggests that he has left the company.
Apple designing its own ARM-based processors for Macs would allow it to move away from Intel processors, which have frequently faced delays. In fact, sources within Intel reportedly confirmed to Axios that Apple does plan to transition to ARM-based processors in Macs starting next year.
Apple already designs its own A-series chips for the iPhone and the iPad, and it also designs the custom T2 security chip in recent Mac models, as part of its broader efforts to move to in-house components and chip designs. Apple has long been known for closely integrating its hardware and software.
Last year, Bloomberg reported that the transition to ARM-based processors is part of a multi-step process that will eventually allow developers to create one app with a single binary that runs across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Apple has already laid the groundwork for this with Project Catalyst.
Update: ARM has confirmed Filippo's departure in a statement provided to Bloomberg: "Mike was a long-time valuable member of the ARM community. We appreciate all of his efforts and wish him well in his next endeavor."
Bloomberg suggests that Filippo's experience could assist Apple with its ARM-based Mac processors. The report also suggests that Filippo could help fill the void left by the departure of Gerard Williams III, the lead designer of Apple's custom iPhone and iPad chips from the A7 to A12X, earlier this year.
Shopify today announced that Apple Business Chat is now available to all of its over 800,000 merchants around the world.
As noted by Engadget, some Shopify merchants are already using Business Chat, but now Apple and Shopify are rolling out the feature to all businesses who use the e-commerce platform, including those outside the United States.
Merchants can manage and respond to all Apple Business Chat customer conversations through Shopify Ping.
Apple Business Chat launched in iOS 11.3 in March 2018, enabling iPhone and iPad users to ask for information, schedule appointments, make purchases, and complete other customer service tasks directly in the Messages app. Business Chats must be initiated on an iPhone or iPad, but they can be continued on any iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch signed in to the same Apple ID.
Apple Business Chat is available in over a dozen countries and has been adopted by over 30 companies, such as The Home Depot, Lowe's, Hilton, Wells Fargo, DISH Network, Burberry, American Express, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
With testing beginning this summer, customers using an iOS device can get real-time answers to questions using their Messages app. This works in one of two ways: customers who receive a summer travel tips email can click "Go Now" and it will open in Messages app, or as a part of a limited test, customers can do so using the Fly Delta app. Visit the "More" section in the Fly Delta app and tap "Message Us" to get quick answers to frequently asked questions from a Delta Virtual Assistant … or message with a live Delta representative.
Delta is the first U.S. airline to adopt Apple Business Chat.
Anker is back this week with a new collection of sales and discount codes on many of its charging accessories, including the all-new Soundcore Wakey Alarm Clock. This device is a bedside alarm clock that has all of the usual features, like Bluetooth, alarm pre-sets, and a white noise mode, as well as a Qi-compatible landing mat on top for charging the latest iPhones.
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As to the rest of the items on sale, Anker is offering an array of Lightning cables, USB-C hubs, and portable chargers at a discount. Half of these accessories will require a promo code on Amazon to see the savings, while the other half are automatically discounted (or have an on-page coupon to clip). Check out all of these sales below:
DisplayPort 2.0 has a max effective bandwidth of 77.4 Gbps, nearly triple that of DisplayPort 1.4, enabling support for displays with up to 16K resolution, higher refresh rates, HDR support at higher resolutions, improved support for multiple display configurations, and more.
The increased bandwidth is the result of VESA leveraging Thunderbolt 3's physical layer. DisplayPort 2.0 is the first standard to support 8K resolution at a 60Hz refresh rate with full-color 4:4:4 resolution and HDR-10 support.
DisplayPort 2.0 configuration examples via DisplayPort, USB-C, or Thunderbolt 3 ports, which will all support the new specification:
Single display resolutions - One 16K (15360x8460) display @60Hz and 30 bpp 4:4:4 HDR (with DSC) - One 10K (10240x4320) display @60Hz and 24 bpp 4:4:4 (no compression)
Dual display resolutions - Two 8K (7680x4320) displays @120Hz and 30 bpp 4:4:4 HDR (with DSC) - Two 4K (3840x2160) displays @144Hz and 24 bpp 4:4:4 (no compression)
Triple display resolutions - Three 10K (10240x4320) displays @60Hz and 30 bpp 4:4:4 HDR (with DSC) - Three 4K (3840x2160) displays @90Hz and 30 bpp 4:4:4 HDR (no compression)
DisplayPort 2.0 also supports VESA's new Panel Replay capability for improved power efficiency when connecting to high-resolution displays.
VESA has made the DisplayPort 2.0 specification available to manufacturers and expects the first products incorporating the standard to appear on the market by late 2020. DisplayPort 2.0 is backward compatible with previous versions of the standard and incorporates all of the key features of DisplayPort 1.4a.
DisplayPort 2.0 will certainly be beneficial to Apple's high-resolution products like the upcoming Pro Display XDR, and it will likely be supported on future Macs, but it is unclear when the company will adopt the standard.
Apple today announced a Democratic presidential candidate guide for Apple News, offering users what it describes as "a timely, trusted and comprehensive look at the 20 individuals participating in the first Democratic debates."
Curated by a team of Apple News editors, the guide aims to be a one-stop shop for learning about each candidate and their policies, with information drawn from sources including ABC News, Axios, CNN, Fox News, NBC News, Politico, The Hill, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, TIME, USA Today, Vox and others.
"The 2020 Democratic field is complex, and we want to offer Apple News readers a trusted place to learn more about candidates they're familiar with and those they may be hearing about for the first time," said Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News. "The candidate guide in Apple News is a robust and reliable resource, connecting readers to valuable at-a-glance information and to great journalism from our partners."
The section will allow users to read about the candidates' biographies and experience, as well as notable moments and quotes, current positions on key issues, and videos, photos and recent coverage from a range of news sources.
In addition, Apple News will feature updates from the debate, with articles and video highlights from NBC News, including fact checking, reactions and key onstage moments and takeaways.
The Democratic debates are set to be hosted by NBC News, MSNBC and Telemundo in Miami, Florida, on June 26 and 27. Apple says the candidate guide will feature in the Top Stories section of the News app on iPhone, iPad and Mac from today, with continuous updates throughout the primary campaign.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Chinese mobile maker Oppo today unveiled its solution to the ubiquitous smartphone display notch – the "word's first" Under-Screen Camera (USC).
The fullscreen display-enabling technology was demonstrated to the public at Shanghai's Mobile World Congress, following a teaser earlier this month.
According to Oppo, the selfie camera is embedded under a section of the display that's made of a highly transparent custom material with a special pixel structure, which enables light to pass through to the lens.
The selfie camera is also said to be larger than other front-facing cameras, featuring a wider aperture lens in front of the sensor.
The company has already admitted that putting a camera under the screen will make it harder to match the quality of an unobstructed smartphone camera.
To compensate, however, Oppo said it has developed software algorithms that address haze, glare, and color cast issues, resulting in pictures that are "on par with mainstream devices."
We won't know how accurate that claim is until the tech hits the market, and it's still not clear exactly when the under-screen camera will debut in a consumer product, but the company says it plans to launch a device featuring its USC "in the near future."
This isn't the first time Oppo has tried to innovate in the mobile camera space. The company in February introduced a 10x optical zoom camera system for smartphones, and just last month unveiled its latest flagship OnePlus 7 Pro phone, which features a bezel-free display and pop-up selfie camera.
Apple's 2019 iPhones are widely expected to include a triple rear camera system featuring wide, telephoto, and ultra-wide lenses. The display notch, which houses Apple's TrueDepth camera and Face ID tech, will almost certainly remain.
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Apple today 
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