Emir BardakçıQuad-curved screens are coming back with new under-display camera technology. However, recent leaks in the smartphone industry point towards a massive design change in the coming period related to display technology. Although various vendors such as Xiaomi and other firms in the industry were recently preferring flat-screen panels in their premium offerings, recent leaks suggest that Apple as well as various domestic players in China are working on quad-curved screen panels coupled with under-display cameras.
These innovations will allow users to enjoy the true full-screen display without the existence of any bezel or notch on the screen of their smartphones. Even though the Xiaomi 17 lineup along with other contemporary rivals feature flat panels, it is likely that the days of curved panels will return in an advanced form.
A change in design philosophy
According to the tech insider DigitalChatStation, Apple is working on a solution with a quad-curved screen. The screen will reportedly include a front camera seamlessly embedded beneath the screen itself. But this particular project was not the only one from Apple. Chinese brands have also developed such projects. Chinese brands have been working on ultra-premium products. They have been designing aggressive curves for their high-end smartphones. But this development was unexpected. It appears that the industry had agreed upon flat screens for ease of use.
History of Xiaomi Smartphones with Waterfall Screens
The design concept explored here is not new to Xiaomi by any means. The company showcased a concept smartphone in 2021 with an impressive 88-degree hyper-quad-curved screen design. The concept smartphone was codenamed U4, and it came with a “waterfall display” design in which the screen and glass curvatures went around every side of the phone. The design envisioned removing the need for ports and buttons altogether and using press sensors in their place. Although the design trends in the industry went back to flat displays in the Xiaomi 13 series, this concept research shows that Xiaomi has the tech to successfully incorporate such quad-curved concepts.
Why Return to Curves?
In the smartphone sector, trends tend to follow a cyclical pattern. Recently, Xiaomi went back to the flat display design in Xiaomi 17 Ultra models. However, the need to achieve a screen-to-body ratio of 100% is leading to the revival of the Quad-Curved Display. Contrary to the idea of the ‘edge’ screens that were trendy a couple of years ago, the latest generation of screens seeks to eliminate the frame altogether, resulting in the appearance that the picture is levitating on the surface.
