Why are smartphones with pop-up selfie cameras disappearing from the market?
Why are smartphones with pop-up selfie cameras disappearing from the market?
Do you remember when smartphones had pop-up cameras? Some of us may have used smartphones with such cameras. Some may have only heard about them. Some may not have even had an idea of what kind of phone they were.
There was a time when smartphones were in the market that had neither a notch nor a punch-hole camera on their displays. They only had a clean display on the front. The display did not contain anything that could disrupt the display experience. Unlike the current trend of having a selfie camera on the display, the selfie camera of those phones was placed at the top.
It could be pulled out only when needed, which was called a ‘pop-up camera’. The pop-up camera once came as a solution that gave us the full-screen experience we always wanted. For some time, there was excitement that ‘this is how the market will be captured’.
Among them, the OnePlus Seven Pro smartphone succeeded in becoming the choice of many. The full-screen look of the phone made it great. And, the pop-up camera showed that the way to use the selfie camera is truly amazing. If you had to take a selfie photo, the camera would pop up. And, after use, it would disappear. No notch, no cutout. It gave a pure full-screen experience.
But today we are in a situation where almost every smartphone has a punch-hole or notch for the selfie camera. If the pop-up camera gave us the full-screen experience we wanted, the question that comes to many minds is why such phones disappeared. To find the answer, we need to understand the rise and fall of the pop-up camera closely. And, we need to know why the technology has disappeared now.
The race for the full-screen experience intensified after Apple launched the iPhone 10 in 2017. Before that, the camera and speaker were placed in the middle of the top of the phone's display. While the two sides were left empty. Below that, the display was visible.
After Apple added the notch, the upper part of the display was reserved for the camera, sensors, and speakers. Previously, the remaining part of the side was the entire display.
This phone, famous for its ‘notch’, brought a new twist to smartphone design. The extremely thin bezel design of the iPhone 10 attracted consumers. And, it also inspired other brands to move in this direction. Consumers had never seen such a screen before. This design felt futuristic. Which forced everyone to demand an edge-to-edge screen.
Although Apple adopted the ‘notch’ design, other manufacturers did not want to come up with a design like Apple. They took this as a challenge that they could not use all the screen area when they lost the place of the front-facing camera. Some made a thin notch, while some used teardrop-shaped notches. At the same time, companies that were serious about providing a full-screen experience came up with a new solution – the ‘pop-up camera’.
The pop-up camera gave users a fully immersive experience by allowing them to use the entire screen without a notch or cutout. The camera would pop out from the top of the phone only when they needed to take a selfie, and would disappear back into the phone when they were done. This experience not only looked futuristic but also provided a fun experience to use.
Another benefit of the pop-up camera was related to privacy. At a time when concerns about data security were growing, it provided users with a layer of security. The camera would be hidden inside the phone when not in use. This assured the user that no app could access the camera without authorization. This principle has become the concept of today's laptop camera covers and privacy shutters.
However, the pop-up camera did not become widely adopted. Many smartphone companies were hesitant to adopt this technology. They were particularly afraid that the 'moving parts' of this design would make users uncomfortable. However, it added a new dimension to mobile screen design.
The popularity of pop-up cameras quickly faded. Some brands like OnePlus used the technology enthusiastically for a while. But they soon turned their attention to punch-hole cameras. Why is this?
Consumers initially saw the cutout design as less of an obstacle. Our eyes can easily get used to small obstacles. Although cutout designs were initially disturbing to the eyes, over time those small ‘dots’ seemed to disappear from the screen. However, the reason for the cutout design was not only the aesthetic of the design.
The complexity of pop-up cameras, the use of moving parts, and doubts about long-term reliability also led to the use of cutout designs. Solid-state components like punch-hole designs gave users the assurance that they would last. These components were generally less susceptible to damage, making them suitable for everyday use.
In addition, pop-up cameras weakened the phone’s water and dust resistance. This technology affected the phone's IP rating, hindering the safety standards expected of flagship-level devices. With water resistance becoming the norm for today's smartphones, pop-up cameras began to look less practical.
Another problem was the battery and internals. Position. The motor that drives the pop-up camera put extra strain on the battery. And, it took up space inside the phone that could have housed important hardware. This technology was seen as weak in terms of functionality as it lost space for a larger battery or other necessary components.
As a result, the appeal of pop-up cameras for a full-screen experience gradually decreased. Consumers began to lean towards long-term reliability. Looking at today's scenario, smartphones are now focused on solid-state technology. Instead of pop-up cameras, brands have focused on under-display camera technology. This gave an option for a camera that stays in one place without using moving parts. And, it also solved the problem of functionality.
Meanwhile, consumers have started to accept small cutout designs as normal. Apple's latest experiment like 'Dynamic Island' is a good example of this. Where the cutout is not considered a problem but is used as a technology to improve the experience. Apple has turned the design flaw into a useful feature and attracted users in a new way.
Brands have started to integrate the technology into their phones. They have forgotten that cutouts, punch holes, or waterdrops should be removed. Pop-up cameras were indeed a good idea. But they were never designed to be a long-term solution. In fact, most brands presented them as a temporary solution.
But the problem was that manufacturers underestimated the time it would take to get the under-display technology to work effectively. Hiding the camera under the screen reduced pixel interference and the challenge of preserving image quality became more difficult than expected. As time went by, companies did not realize that such a technology was coming soon.
In this situation, they had two options: continue to invest in pop-up camera technology or return to a more reliable option like a screen cutout. And in the end, most brands chose the second option.
Continuing to invest in pop-up camera technology was not easy for everyone. Users who had already experienced a full screen with a pop-up camera felt a little uncomfortable when returning to phones with punch holes or notches. However, the impact of the pop-up camera paled in comparison to the impact that punch-holes and cutouts had later.
However, smartphones with pop-up cameras have not completely disappeared. Such smartphones are still available in some markets.
Whatever problems the pop-up camera faced, the credit for paving the way for many of today's technologies goes to this technology. Such technology inspired the smartphone industry to think deeply about screen space and design. This helped launch the underdisplay technology. Today, brands are actively following in the footsteps of this technology.
Phones with pop-up cameras became like a testing ground. Which showed that consumers wanted a clean and unobstructed screen. Although pop-up cameras disappeared in a short time, they left a deep mark on smartphone history. It doesn't matter that they were adventurous experiments. As a result, almost all companies are now trying to provide a full-screen experience. However, pop-up cameras did not turn into a long-term solution. The pop-up camera is a symbol of a time when phone design took a more daring turn.
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