2019 is already gearing up to be a major year for the smartphone industry, with mobile compatibility for 5G expected in the coming months, Samsung launching its tenth anniversary Galaxy S flagship in the coming weeks, and a number of smartphones taking on unusual shapes and sizes.
Recently, several international smartphone brands have shared their ideas for smartphones of the near future. From portless devices that only charge wirelessly to smartphones that can go fold from tablet to a pocket device like a transformer, these devices are sure to make a splash among enthusiasts itching to try the latest tech.
Meizu ZERO
Smartphone makers are removing as many ports and holes from devices as they can. Headphone jacks are all but extinct on most smartphones, but the Meizu ZERO goes a step further, with no charging port, no speaker grills, no SIM card slots, and no power buttons.
Meizu ZERO – The world’s first holeless smartphone.
No Buttons, Speaker Grilles, Sim Card Slot Or Charging Port.
Instead – Virtual Pressure Buttons, ScreenSound, eSIM and Wireless Charging. pic.twitter.com/kPc7MdTDxy— Ben Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) January 23, 2019
How does a phone like this even work? For one, the Meizu ZERO is still a concept device at this point, and images of it are renders. However, the manufacturer does think such a device is viable in the foreseeable future, as it was officially announced Wednesday, with a 5.99-inch display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip, and an eSIM to enable mobile connectivity. The immerging technology allows mobile carrier service to connect electronically, instead of via a physical SIM card.
This is the non-porous mobile phone introduced by Meizu: Meizu Zero, using ceramic back, wireless charging, wireless USB, screen sound, eSIM, but it has no release date, is also a concept product. pic.twitter.com/GNs14IEovT
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) January 23, 2019
The Meizu ZERO is completely touch-based, with an in-display fingerprint sensor, and pressure sensing technology and a haptic feedback engine to prompt the devices to execute certain functions. It has virtual power and volume buttons on its sides, have already been compared to HTC’s squeeze gesture control technology.
The manufacturer has also adopted the mSound 2.0 technology for the Meizu ZERO. The device has internal speakers right under the display, which is thin enough to allow the sound to easily permeate.
The device charges wirelessly with 18W fast charting, and is rated IP68 for water resistance. It seems that no reviewers have gotten their hands on the Meizu ZERO, but it will be interesting to see if the device makes an appearance at MWC in Barcelona next month.
Xiaomi Foldable phone
There have been several murmurs and inconspicuous leaks of Xiaomi’s foldable phone, but now the company has confirmed it is working on a flexible display device, with a video of its President and Co-founder Bin Lin handling a prototype.
Check out this special video from #Xiaomi President and Co-founder Bin Lin, showing off a very special phone prototype… 😎
What does everyone think we should name this phone? 🤔#InnovationForEveryone pic.twitter.com/1lFj3nM7tD
— Donovan Sung (@donovansung) January 23, 2019
Xiaomi’s still unnamed device has already been dubbed as one of the most interesting foldable phones so far. The handset starts as a tablet and can fold back at two points to look and function like a smartphone.
Details about this device are few, and for many experts, its confirmation has brought on more questions than it has answered. In particular, some are curious as to whether the parts of the display that fold back work when the device is in its smartphone set up.
Other devices, such as the Royole FlexPai and Samsung’s foldable phone prototype fold in a way that allows all visible display sections to work. While Xiaomi’s folding scheme is somewhat more aesthetically pleasing than other devices, its function could be a hindrance before the device is even officially released.
Vivo APEX 2019
The Vivo Apex 2019 has also surfaced in recent days with no visible buttons or ports, which in conjunction with the Meizu ZERO could be the introduction of a new category of smartphones. It goes a step further not bezels, notches or holes on its front display, which has already gotten a rave response from the tech pundits.
Vivo APEX 2019: Exclusive First Look pic.twitter.com/Ez2fuuwu1d
— Ben Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) January 22, 2019
The Vivo Apex 2019 is also still a concept device and its images are renders, not photographs. It is similarly expected to run an eSIM and wireless charging. Currently, there is no word on how its gesture controls or haptic feedback may function.
