Vivo Apex 2019: the phone of the future, but you can't have it
Today in Beijing, Vivo officially announced its new Apex 2019. Although it may look like a smartphone like any other at first glance, this device is probably the concept of the smartphone of a future not too far away, away from doors or physical buttons.
To replace the physical buttons, the company followed in the footsteps of HTC U12+ using a pressure-sensitive frame. So, instead of pressing a button, users will just have to "squeeze" different areas of the device. For charging, Vivo then replaced the Type-C USB port with a magnetic connector. According to the company, the supplied accessory can be used for both charging and data transfer.
Despite the relatively new technology, the integrated fingerprint sensors in the display have come a long way in the last two years. But Vivo has decided that it is time to take this technology to the next level, introducing the possibility of integrating it throughout the display of its brand new Apex 2019, the smartphone without buttons and without ports. Yeah, we're not kidding!
Currently, smartphones that offer a fingerprint sensor under the display make it possible to recognize the fingerprint in one precise part of the glass. With Vivo's technology, however, there will be more sensors under the screen so that the user can unlock his new Apex 2019 by touching almost all areas of the display. This will be supported by a new feature that will choose a particular point on the screen when your finger is detected near the glass. At that point, the software will illuminate the pixels around the nearest point of contact.
Vivo Apex 2019 is the first device in the Chinese company to take advantage of the new 5G connectivity. According to the company, it was able to adapt all the required 5G modules using a duplex PCB design that saved it 20% of space. In practice, the motherboard has a "double face" that has allowed Vivo not to have to use any additional module to make possible the coupling of the new generation network.
Under the hood, Vivo Apex 2019 is equipped with a great hardware: Snapdragon 855 CPU, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of non-expandable storage. It's interesting to note that Vivo didn't mention the cameras on board at all. Not only is it strange that it didn't provide any information about the dual rear module, but it didn't even mention the fact that there is no front camera.
Vivo will be exhibiting its prototype of the Apex 2019 at the MWC 2019 at the end of February where we will be able to find out more and carry out our personal hands-on. This device arrives less than a day after the presentation of another buttonless device, the Meizu Zero, although the solution proposed by Vivo seems to be technically more advanced thanks to its sophisticated fingerprint sensor and support for 5G networks.
Would you be willing to buy it if only it were possible?
Source: Android Authority
I would like to see an article on Android Pit dedicated to Chinese Android Custom skins. EMUI, MIUI, Flyme OS, Color OS, Fun touch OS, all IOS copycats. Reading such an article would be fun. The article should compare these skins with stock Android, and the most common features found on these skins, and why? Also how are they better or worse than Vanilla Android.