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Andrew Barclay

This article originally appeared on ABACUS
China’s Vivo took the wraps off its flagship smartphone today, revealing a handset that has nothing but a screen on the front.
It’s the culmination of technologies we’ve seen over a few months, from Vivo’s Apex concept phone at Mobile World Congress to the X21 handset released earlier this year.

The most eye-catching feature is one you won’t immediately notice: The selfie camera, which physically emerges from the top of the handset when needed.
In all, there are two versions of the handset: Nex A and Nex S.
The top-of-the-line Nex S embeds the fingerprint sensor in the screen itself, allowing users to unlock the phone by pressing a finger on the screen.
US-based Synaptics, who partnered with Vivo on the sensor, claims its system is twice as fast as 3D facial recognition technology.
The other model, Nex A, doesn’t have this technology -- instead, it has a fingerprint sensor on the back of the handset.

(In case you’re wondering how the phone works without a speaker on the front: Vivo says the screen is the speaker, vibrating to create sound waves.)
Like other manufacturers, Vivo has developed an AI assistant which they’ve called Jovi. The demo showed it is able to control the phone through voice commands, as well as direct third-party apps to do things like send money to friends.

On the inside, the flagship Nex S is powered by the Snapdragon 845 -- which also powers Xiaomi’s flagship Mi Mix 2S -- and comes with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage.
The Nex A features the Snapdragon 710 -- and comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
So what do they cost? The entry-level Nex is priced at US$610, while the 128GB flagship model costs US$700. The 256GB version will set you back US$780.
Vivo V9 review: iPhone X lookalike delivers good value
Vivo needs a big win with the Nex handsets, in the face of declining shipments and tough competition.
The phones will be available in China from the 23rd of June.

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.



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Smartphones

Vivo delivers a handset with nothing but screen on the front

The entry-level Nex is priced at $610. (Picture: Vivo).

Vivo needs a big win with the Nex handsets, in the face of declining shipments and tough competition. (Picture: Vivo).

The Nex's selfie camera physically emerges from the top of the handset when needed. (Picture: Vivo.)

Abacus

Tech

Big Tech

Nex smartphones hide the selfie camera and fingerprint sensor


It feels like virtually every step in smartphones over the last few years has been to eliminate everything from the front of the device except the screen. Home button? Make it a virtual button. Speaker? Make the screen's glass vibrate to produce sound. Fingerprint sensor? Put it on the back (or use Face Unlock). But the one seemingly immovable obstacle has always been the selfie camera. Vivo's Nex handset finally achieves this with a clever solution: Making the camera pop out of the case when needed.


Vivo

Abacus - China Tech News

Vivo delivers a handset with nothing but screen on the front

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Nex smartphones hide the selfie camera and fingerprint sensor

Nex smartphones hide the selfie camera and fingerprint sensor