Is Apple now copying Chinese phone manufacturers? Under-display Face ID patent revealed!

Is Apple now copying Chinese phone manufacturers? Under-display Face ID patent revealed!Once upon a time, Chinese smartphone manufacturers rapidly rose to prominence by imitating Apple's design and functionality. However, in recent years, they have repeatedly broken through in technological innovation, surpassing Apple in several areas, such as under-display fingerprint recognition and under-display camera technology

Is Apple now copying Chinese phone manufacturers? Under-display Face ID patent revealed!

Once upon a time, Chinese smartphone manufacturers rapidly rose to prominence by imitating Apple's design and functionality. However, in recent years, they have repeatedly broken through in technological innovation, surpassing Apple in several areas, such as under-display fingerprint recognition and under-display camera technology. Now, recent news suggests Apple seems to be adopting the strategy of "learning from the enemy to defeat the enemy," actively mimicking Chinese manufacturers' under-display camera technology in a bid for a breakthrough in design.

Recently, a patent for Apple's under-display Face ID was revealed. This patent aims to revolutionize the widely criticized "pill-shaped notch" design. While Apple's "Dynamic Island" cleverly integrated the front-facing camera into the system interface, effectively camouflaging the notch, it didn't actually reduce the size of the front-facing camera components; it merely masked the issue. Continuing this strategy without innovative breakthroughs could lead to Apple's elimination from the increasingly competitive market. Therefore, Apple urgently needs new solutions, and under-display camera technology has become its focus.

According to the patent report, Apple's under-display Face ID technology cleverly removes some sub-pixels, allowing infrared light to penetrate the screen cover, enabling under-display facial recognition. While the specific effectiveness of this technology hasn't been officially confirmed, the patent application itself indicates extensive testing and R&D efforts. The exact release date remains unknown, but the patent application demonstrates Apple's commitment to this direction.

It's noteworthy that Chinese phone manufacturers have already mastered and applied mature under-display camera technology. Apple's patent application is, to some extent, an acknowledgment of their technological prowess and indirectly highlights Apple's lack of innovation in this area. Faced with rapidly evolving market demands and competitive pressures, Apple seems to have found no faster or more effective solution than imitation.

Apple's "pill-shaped notch" design has been controversial since its launch. While the "Dynamic Island" cleverly conceals the camera components, it doesn't fundamentally address the excessively wide screen bezels and fails to match the visual appeal of full-screen phones. The mature application of under-display camera technology offers manufacturers a new design approach, maximizing screen-to-body ratio and providing a more immersive visual experience.

The application of this technology extends beyond aesthetic improvements. It offers greater possibilities for innovation in screen design and functional integration. Once Apple successfully implements under-display Face ID technology on a large scale, it will significantly impact the industry's design philosophy and technological direction.

However, under-display camera technology isn't without challenges. Difficulties remain in minimizing camera component size while maintaining facial recognition accuracy, balancing screen light transmission with display quality, and improving image quality. These problems need to be addressed.

Apple's choice to imitate Chinese manufacturers' under-display camera technology reflects its desire for technological innovation but also its lack of technological accumulation in this area. Future market competition will be fiercer, and only continuous innovation can ensure survival. Whether Apple successfully applies this technology to its future products and delivers a stunning visual and user experience remains to be seen. However, it undoubtedly marks a turning point in the mobile phone industry's technological development, signaling a trend towards more extreme designs. From imitation to surpassing, the ultimate winner will be determined by time. Chinese phone manufacturers are undeniably ahead, guiding the global industry's development. Apple's move is more of an affirmation of their technological strength and self-reflection. This might also be a form of progress. After all, learning from others' successes and innovating upon them is crucial for sustained growth. This imitation might accelerate technological upgrades and innovation across the industry. Let's wait and see.