OPPO has teased an unknown phone (probably their next flagship, or just a prototype) with overflowing extreme curves. The company is calling this design ‘Waterfall display’.
This isn’t the world’s first curved edges phone. OPPO themselves have previously had devices, including the OPPO FIND X from last year, with curved displays. The difference here is the new waterfall display is much more extreme: it extends across the sides where you’d normally have your hand holding the device.
My first question upon seeing the display was to ask how I am expected to hold such a device. How will the company implement palm rejection with close to 90 degree curves? Others have asked questions like how safe such a design is. Won’t it crack easier from the slightest hits? Won’t it be too fragile for the pockets? Is it a necessary look?
Anyway, people need to remember tech works differently. Things that first seem crazy and impossible turn out after not so long to be normal. Remember there was a time under-the-display fingerprints seem impossible. There was a time people couldn’t contemplate under-display cameras. And here we are!
VIVO has recently teased that they will launch a device with over 100% screen-to-body ratio. Perhaps this is the same design they will be going with. Perhaps it’ll have more extreme curves.
Seeing the extreme curves reminds me of something from Samsung years back. Remember the Galaxy NOTE Edge?
It was radical. It was different. It was extreme. And here we are. Samsung learnt. They changed a couple of things. And embraced the look. Now all S-series have curved sides. There’s rumor, OPPO will be using this design with their replacement of the Find X. Let’s wait and see.
