ZTE has become the first to get off the blocks in the under-display camera smartphone race with the launch of the ZTE Axon 20 5G.

The world’s first under-display camera smartphone features a 6.92-inch OLED display, and supports 10-bit colour depth as well as 100 percent coverage of DCI-P3 colour gamut. Making the display colour clearer and more vibrant are the FHD+ resolution and OLED materials.

With a length-width ratio of 20.5:9 and the DTS:X Ultra 3D sound, the smartphone can deliver a cinematic experience.

The ZTE Axon 20 5G is only 7.98mm thick and has ultra-thin design of double shoulder lines. Its 3D curved glass on the back contains 10 layers of structural stacks, which have been carefully crafted with 36 different processes to create a unique and gorgeous texture.

ZTE has collaborated with UK illustrator Sam Falconer to create an exclusive design for the ZTE Axon 20 5G that aims to encourage young people to explore more possibilities of the current technologies, by artistically representing the great contributions made by four well-known scientists.

Under the hood

Enabling the under-display camera are five core technologies — special materials, dual-control chips, unique driver circuits, the special pixel matrix, and the in-house selfie algorithm.

To balance the performance of the display and the front camera, ZTE has adopted high transparency material that includes new organic and inorganic films, thereby improving the light input to the front camera.

A built-in independent dual-control chip and integrated driver circuits have been employed to enable the colour synchronisation between the front camera and the conventional display.

The unique driver circuit layout design and precision miniaturisation components have been used to avoid the interference and restrain the impact on the front camera. A special matrix optimises pixels and improves the display consistency,.

ZTE’s front-camera selfie algorithm has optimised the performance of the camera under several lighting conditions, and supported automatic dynamic range adjustment, improving photo clarity and image contrast.

Additional under-display technologies include ambient light, sound and fingerprint sensors to achieve a true full screen without any punch holes. The innovative light sensor can automatically adjust the screen brightness according to the light environment, allowing the display to be seen clearly anytime.

Upgraded antenna technology

The upgraded antenna technology ensures an ultra-fast 5G experience anytime and anywhere. Super Antenna 2.0 is a cutting-edge PDS antenna with a 360-degree surround integrated design and intelligent closed-loop tuning technology, which can improve network connection stability and download speed.

Additionally, 12 different antennas have been integrated into the outer surface of the middle frame, which are further away from the motherboard and internal components, allowing a more sensitive signal receiving and quicker network searching.

Great videos

A 64MP super HD main camera supports 4K high-resolution video at 60fps, super night scenes, video beauty, and real-time HDR video in multiple lighting conditions. The main and wide-angle lenses support image stabilisation for higher quality video.

Six intelligent templates are available for producing stylised videos which can intelligently match different styles of music with special transition effects. In addition, the unique full-screen film recording mode, with a ratio under 20.5:9, can support portrait bokeh and portrait beauty.

The AI voice subtitling shooting mode provides powerful video editing functions, such as splicing, speed change, regional cropping, filtering, and background music, making video editing more convenient.

Speeding up apps

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G mobile platform, the ZTE Axon 20 5G speeds up high frequently used apps by 40 percent while gaming and video experiences have also been improved.

The latest MiFavor 10.5 UI system supports movie-level screen optimisation and smart screen projection while the large 4,220mAh battery can support 30W Quick Charge and a 5G power saving mode that improves battery life by 35 percent.

Priced from RMB 2,198 (S$438), the Axon 20 5G comes in four colours — blue, black, purple, and orange. Pre-orders are available in China at www.myzte.com, zte.jd.com and zte.tmall.com.