The OnePlus Concept One was shown off with the so-called ‘Invisible Camera’ technology at CES 2020, and that tech is coming to a future OnePlus smartphone.
OnePlus’ CEO, Pete Lau, confirmed as much during a recent podcast. Mr. Lau made his first appearance on a podcast, as he was a guest at The Verge.
‘Invisible Camera’ tech is coming to a future production smartphone from OnePlus
During a half-hour podcast, he confirmed that the OnePlus Concept One’s ‘Invisible Camera’ tech is coming to a production smartphone in the future. He did not say when exactly, though. The company’s CEO did say that it will happen “soon”, though.
That is the very same podcast during which Mr. Lau confirmed that OnePlus doesn’t plan on releasing a foldable smartphone anytime soon. You can read more about that here.
Now, if you’re out of the loop, this technology is actually quite interesting. OnePlus implemented ‘electrochromic glass’ in the OnePlus Concept One. This glass turns opaque when a current is thrown into the mix.
That causes lenses behind the glass to be hidden, and makes the phone look really sleek. Once you turn off the current, the lenses become transparent.
Now, this is not just a cosmetic feature, as those lenses are also used as an ND filter. That ND filter can be activated via the Concept One’s ‘Pro mode’ in the Camera app.
The ND filter allows you to have longer shutter speeds, as it can block excessive light from reaching the lens. That is something that actual digital cameras have been using for quite some time now.
It is even possible that OnePlus plans on releasing the Concept One smartphone at some point. Mr. Lau did not clarify whether that will happen, or will this tech be implemented in a completely new phone.
Electrochromic glass probably won’t be a part of the OnePlus 8 series
We can assume that electrochromic glass will not be a part of the OnePlus 8 series, though. Nothing suggested that it will, up until now, plus we doubt that the Concept One would feature it if it were coming to the OnePlus 8 series.
Speaking of which, the OnePlus 8 series is expected to arrive in H1 2020. The company is expected to announce those phones in May, though they may arrive sooner than expected.
The OnePlus 8 series will launch in May if OnePlus ends up sticking to its release cycle. Rumors and leaks started a lot earlier than before though, and those handsets may arrive in March or April. Just to clarify, OnePlus is rumored to release the OnePlus 8, 8 Pro, and 8 Lite.