Under-screen camera smartphones enter second generation

ZTE Axon 30 5G to get a global release this year

Dominic Bayley (PC World) on 02 August, 2021 17:08

Some love smartphone notches. Others hate them. Regardless, they do take up display real estate that could otherwise be used for viewing. ZTE were the first to do something about this in 2020 when they released the ZTE Axon 20, a smartphone with an “invisible camera” placed under-screen.

Now ZTE has released a successor in the ZTE Axon 30 5G, and it brings a number of performance upgrades over the Axon 20 5G, the biggest of which is a larger more light-sensitive camera.

The Axon 30 is equipped with an AI quad camera array, including a 64-megapixel (f/1.8) main rear camera, an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera (f/2.2), 5-megapixel macro camera (f/2.4) and 2-megapixel depth camera (f/2.4). It also has a 16-megapixel selfie camera (f/2.0), which features the under-display camera.

The Axon 30 5G incorporates new materials to allow more light to enter the front-facing camera.

ZTE's Axon 30 5G is ZTE's next generation smartphone with under-screen camera

ZTE say they have reworked the front display above the 16-megapixel selfie camera, adding seven extra layers of transparent materials to make the camera more light-transmissive. This new feature could allow the Axon 30 5G’s selfie camera to capture better quality images than the ZTE Axon 20.

The Axon 30 5G’s AMOLED display measures 6.92-inches, which is the same as the Axon 20 5G, but instead of a FHD resolution in its predecessor, it comes with a FHD+ display.

ZTE say the Axon 30 5G’s screen has a pixel density of 400PPI. The screen refresh rate has been upped to 120Hz and the Axon 30 5G also has a 360Hz touch sampling rate for a smoother user experience while scrolling, browsing or using apps.

Processing power has also been upgraded. A faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chipset has replaced the Axon 20’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset. The Axon 30 5G’s chipset has a clock speed of 3.2GHz, and can be paired with up to 12GB RAM in the premium version of the handset.

The ZTE Axon 30 5G was recently released in China and a global release is expected later this year. More details are expected to be put up on ZTE’s official website in coming months.