Leaks of Vivo’s Nex appear one day before handset's unveiling

Flagship model also set to feature the much-hyped in-display fingerprint sensor

Smartphones

Andrew Barclay

Published: 7:20pm, 11 Jun, 2018

Why you can trust SCMP

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

Leaks of Vivo’s highly anticipated Nex smartphone seem to confirm what many have been hoping for: A smartphone with nothing on the front except the screen.

The leaks appear to show that the premium version of the handset will have an in-display fingerprint sensor and a selfie camera that physically pops out of the top of the device.

One of the leaks came from an unusual source: Vivo’s own website, which briefly showcased two of the upcoming models, revealing the standard Nex and a premium model called the Nex S. (There’s also expected to be a third version of the device, the Nex A, but that didn’t appear on Vivo’s website.)

This new Vivo concept phone has a pop-up selfie camera

As always, it’s worth taking these leaks with a grain of salt, but the images seem to confirm another much-hyped feature of the device. The lack of a fingerprint sensor on the rear of the Nex S device means it likely sports an in-display fingerprint reader -- another coup for the Chinese smartphone manufacturer which already used the technology in its X21 phone.

But we’re still left with one question: How big the in-display fingerprint scanner will be.

While the X21's sensor only works on an area about the size of a thumb, the Apex prototype we saw at MWC covered about a third of the screen.

The selfie camera we saw on Vivo's concept phone at Mobile World Congress. (Picture: Abacus).

Speculation has been rife for months about the device -- the retail version of the Apex concept that we got our hands on at Mobile World Congress this year -- which is set to be officially announced tomorrow.

In the past 24 hours, a black version of the base model Nex also made an appearance in a short hands-on video on Chinese social media, showing a fingerprint sensor on the rear -- which means the cheapest model will likely miss out on the in-display sensor.

A leak on Chinese microblogging site Weibo purporting to show a hands-on with Vivo’s Nex smartphone. (Picture: Weibo).

Among the other things we've learned from the leaks: The Nex S will come with a 6.59-inch display and the Snapdragon 845 also found in some Samsung Galaxy S9 devices -- along with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

There’s a dual 12 and 5 megapixel camera set-up on the back, while the pop-up selfie camera -- which some have taken to calling the periscope -- is believed to be 8 megapixels.

Vivo V9 review: iPhone X lookalike delivers good value

The base Nex model will likely be powered by the Snapdragon 710 -- along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

One thing the leaks haven’t been able to answer is the price. Vivo’s website listed both devices at 9,999 RMB -- or more than US$1,500 -- unlikely for a brand known for its budget-friendly prices.

For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters, subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast, and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report. Also roam China Tech City, an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus.

Post