UPDATE: It turns out that, this device, that can change the color of its backplate, comes from Vivo. The company actually shared a video of it on Weibo, that’s where this video originally came from, it seems.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: What if you could choose to buy a smartphone that can change colors? Well, this one can, this smartphone can change the color of its backplate, which technically makes it a multi-color smartphone.
Before you get your hopes up, however, do note that this is not a finished product. This prototype device has been shared by Ice Universe, a well-known tipster.
A mobile phone brand is developing a mobile phone with a discoloration rear case, which can adjust the speed of discoloration. Maybe the smart phone will only have one color in the future: discoloration pic.twitter.com/kSg5NSD0tL
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) September 3, 2020
He shared a short video of the device, showing its color-changing ability. The source did not mention what company made this prototype, but the feature is quite interesting, to say the least.
This smartphone has the ability to change the color of its backplate
Ice Universe called this backplate a “discoloration rear case”, and he says that the speed of discoloration can also be adjusted. Some of you are probably wondering how is this possible, right? Well, you may be surprised, but you’ve already seen this tech before.
Remember the “Electrochromic glass” that OnePlus used on the special edition OnePlus 6T handset (the OnePlus Concept One)? The company used it to hide the phone’s rear cameras. Well, it seems like the same tech is used here, but for the whole backplate.
That is, at least, what Mishaal Rahman of XDA Developers suggests in the comments. He is probably right, as such tech would make something like this possible, with a minuscule impact on the battery.
We still do not know what company made this prototype, though. This technology may never be portrayed on a device in this manner, so keep that in mind. It may, but… don’t hold your breath.
OnePlus did say that some of its future phones may utilize electrochromic glass. The company will probably use the tech to hide rear-facing cameras, though, not to change the color of the backplate.
OnePlus will probably bring back electrochromic glass, but we don’t know when
We’re not sure when OnePlus is planning to bring back electrochromic glass, but we’re hoping it will happen soon. This is certainly not the necessary technology on a phone, but it sure is cool.
So, in the case of the special edition OnePlus 6T, OnePlus used the tech to keep the camera sensors hidden until you need them. The camera module on the back basically remained pitch black, you couldn’t see the sensors themselves.
Once you fire up the camera app, though, the technology comes into play, and reveals the camera sensors, so that you can take a picture / film a video clip without a problem.
It would be interesting to see this technology make a return. It remains to be seen when / if that will happen, and which company will do it first.