
Slightly curved screens aren’t enough for this Chinese phone maker
Users think Oppo’s extreme ‘waterfall’ curve might just be too much
Smartphones with curved display edges have been around for a while. Samsung first introduced the trend in 2014. But Chinese smartphone maker Oppo is no longer satisfied with slightly curved displays. That’s where the “waterfall screen” comes in.
How Oppo became one of the biggest smartphone makers in China
Why waterfall? The new display has an 88-degree curve, making images and videos seem like they are “falling” off the screen.
The newly unveiled prototype shows Oppo is edging towards a 100% screen-to-body ratio, with only two thin bezels left on the top and bottom.

But not everyone is thrilled about the poetically-branded screen. Some Weibo commenters have pointed out that curved screens are not really that functional. Others said the demonstration videos even show how easy it is to accidentally touch the screen.

Others pointed out that the new phone might need some delicate handling if you’re watching a video. A simple slip of a finger while holding the tiny bezels might ruin the experience.

Oppo isn’t widely known outside of China, but in its home market, the brand has fought its way into becoming the second most popular phone maker after Huawei for the last two years.
In China’s highly-competitive and saturated smartphone market, different brands are constantly looking for ways to one-up each other by offering unique features that allow them to differentiate themselves. Reducing the amount of bezel visible from the front of a phone has been one popular way of achieving that.
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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.
