Say “Cheese” in disguise: Is this the dawn of the notch-less selfie?

Take the Galaxy Z Fold models for example. Since the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung has used UDC for its foldable smartphones. And it's not just Samsung; other smartphones, including those from Oppo, Xiaomi and Vivo, also have this feature. But here's the thing: the quality of selfies with an under-display camera is not great, as the Nubia Z60 Ultra showed recently.

For example, on the Fold, the under-screen camera more or less serves as a backup. With two other options available for taking selfies, you don't have to worry about camera quality.

Selfies and technology

Selfie cameras have long held an important place on smartphones. Selfies are very popular because they allow us to share our lives, stay in touch with our friends and sometimes have fun with filters. Phone manufacturers are well aware of this. They've been improving selfie cameras with things like wide-angle lenses and beauty filters using artificial intelligence (AI) for some time now. However, all this technology comes at the cost of a camera hole.Fun Selfie Facts:

• The first “selfie” was taken by Philadelphia entrepreneur Robert Cornelius in 1839! (Sorry, smartphones, you weren't the trend pioneers.)
• The word “selfie” was first added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2013.
• The average person takes around 25,000 selfies in their lifetime. (That's a lot of cheesy smiles!)
• The most retweeted selfie of all time was a celebrity selfie at the 2014 Oscars, featuring Ellen DeGeneres and a group of celebrities.

Behind the screen: revealing the advantages and disadvantages of the UDC

UDC is a technology that aims to bring a fully full-screen experience to smartphones. Instead of using a notch, punch-hole, or pop-up camera, UDC hides the camera sensor under the screen itself. This creates a transparent viewing area, which could make watching videos or gaming more immersive.

The display area above the camera uses special materials and pixel arrangements to allow light to reach the camera sensor. This is done by reducing the pixel density in that particular area. But like any advanced technology, there are challenges to overcome.

The biggest obstacle is image quality. Because the camera has to look through the screen's pixels, it captures less light, resulting in blurry and grainy photos. This is especially true in low-light situations, where even the best UDCs struggle to compete with traditional cameras. Imagine trying to capture a fun evening with friends – memories can be fuzzy (for more than one reason).

But image quality isn't the only concern. UDCs present new user experience challenges. The location of the camera sensor can affect how you naturally hold the phone for selfies, making it difficult or impossible to get that perfect angle. And forget about using face unlock with a camera under the screen: it's still not secure enough.

Compared to traditional front-facing cameras, UDCs capture less detailed data due to the display layer blocking some lights and information. This limited information makes it easier for attackers to trick the system with high-quality photos or even 3D printed masks. Think of it like trying to recognize someone through a foggy window: it's pretty difficult, right?

So is ditching the selfie camera for an uninterrupted screen worth it? For now, the answer appears to be no. Although UDCs show promise, they still have a long way to go before they can match the quality and convenience of traditional cameras.

However, all is not gloomy. UDCs have some potential advantages. Above all, it offers an uninterrupted and notch-free display, allowing for a more immersive viewing experience. Imagine watching movies or playing games without that little black bar cutting into the action! Additionally, UDC could pave the way for more innovative phone designs, with screens that wrap around the edges or even fold completely.

The future of UDCs is bright, but it's not there yet

Through continued research and development, we have seen significant improvements in image quality, user experience and security. Traditional selfie cameras still have their advantages, especially in terms of image quality and affordability. We'll likely see a coexistence of the two technologies for some time, with UDC being a premium feature on high-end phones.

Getting a full-screen experience without anything in the way sounds awesome. However, for UDCs to be truly good, the image quality needs to improve significantly. Personally, the notch doesn't bother me and I don't pay much attention to it. But if UDCs can match the photo quality of, say, the Galaxy S23, I'd quickly jump on board.

In the near future, maybe even next year, we might see Apple and Google abandon notch-less phones. Google has filed a patent for a new under-screen front camera, potentially allowing Pixel phones to have an all-glass display without any holes. Apple's iPhone could also go full-screen with LG Innotek's under-screen camera in the works. What do you think: If Apple, Google and Samsung start adopting UDCs, will other phone makers jump on the bandwagon? Kind of a rhetorical question, I know.