Under-display cameras have great potential, but they still have issues. Well, a new patent from Google is looking to boost under-display camera tech with a completely different approach.
As we’ve seen with the ZTE Axon 20 5G, under-display camera technology still needs work. Truth be said, we didn’t really see what Xiaomi has to offer in that regard, or any other company. Their devices with under-display camera tech are expected to drop later this year.
That being said, the ZTE Axon 20 5G showed us that such technology still has issues with light optimization and image quality. The problem is the extra layer of glass on top of everything, which affects things.
New Google patent may fix under-display camera tech, kind of
Well, Google may have found a solution for that. The company’s patent surfaced on WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), and was spotted by Letsgodigital.
What’s interesting here is that Google is taking a mechanical approach to things. This could solve the issue of an extra layer of glass. It does create an extra problem though, moving parts, which is something people generally don’t appreciate. That is the main reason pop-up cameras didn’t stick around.
What Google presented is a second screen that should be placed opposite the camera itself. It would include a mechanical prism that would move in and out of place, based on whether the camera is activated or not.
This should ensure a better flow of incoming light, and thus improve the photo quality in general. The optical module would be shielded by a small window when it needs to be.
This technology probably won’t be included in the Pixel 6
Now, some of you may say “great, the Pixel 6 will bring us such tech!”, well, no, it probably won’t. It’s quite likely that the Pixel 6 will feature a display camera hole on the front. This technology may arrive in the future, though.
Do note that this is just a patent, though. Many companies patent all sorts of tech that never makes it to primetime. So, we’ll just have to wait and see what will happen with this.