CES 2020: OnePlus Concept Phone with 'invisible camera' unveiled
OnePlus Concept One takes 0.7s for the glass to transition from solid black to fully clear, faster even than the camera itself takes to fully activate; OnePlus claims that this is the fastest speed yet achieved in the industry, and it uses almost no power
- Jan 8, 2020,
- Updated Jan 8, 2020 4:06 PM IST
It might not ever release but OnePlus has unveiled a concept phone at a press event at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at Las Vegas. The OnePlus Concept Phone has a McLaren inspired design with an electrochromic glass technology for hiding the camera. This new technology can change the transparency of the glass that can hide the camera, which OnePlus is referring to as "invisible camera".
OnePlus says that the glass of the Concept One uses organic particles to create changes in transparency so that the glass covering the camera lenses can shift in an instant from opaque black to entirely clear. The glass panels are just 0.1mm each, for a combined total of only 0.35mm. The glass also provides a practical benefit, doubling as a built-in polarizing filter for the camera that can be used to achieve sharper, more finely detailed shots under strong light. This invisible camera has been rigorously tested and calibrated for speed. The OnePlus Concept One takes 0.7s for the glass to transition from solid black to fully clear, faster even than the camera itself takes to fully activate. OnePlus claims that this is the fastest speed yet achieved in the industry, and it uses almost no power. The company has spent nearly eight months and tested more than a hundred different options.
"This concept phone is a significant experiment in the future form of smartphones. OnePlus started this initiative with the goal of bringing the "burdenless" user experience to the next level. The invisible camera stands as a new form of camera design, one that spares the user from the compromises of current camera layouts. The rear camera lenses are hidden by the dynamic electrochromic glass and only become visible when the camera is in use. This optimal solution is what OnePlus calls "Electronic CMF"- a new approach in industrial design," says Pete Lau, CEO and Founder of OnePlus. "This is just the beginning as we explore additional possibilities in the future."
The Concept One draws inspiration from similar technology used in McLaren's 720S Spider luxury sports car, which features a retractable hardtop glazed with an electrochromic glass panel that can rapidly switch between tinted and transparent states. Additionally, the OnePlus Concept One design integrates both glass and leather, using the same luxury trim specially tailored for McLaren's supercars, in the iconic McLaren papaya orange -- a tribute to McLaren Racing's history and seen on the current McLaren Racing Formula 1 car.
Jo Lewis, Colour and Materials Design Manager at McLaren Automotive, says of the OnePlus Concept One: "At McLaren, we select the best quality leathers produced in the UK; it's a material that exudes luxury and we are keen to offer our expertise in the design of this OnePlus concept device. The soft-grained semi-aniline leather is gentle to the touch and its natural grain has a beautiful silky feel. Our design philosophy at McLaren embraces the natural features of the leather through its subtle grain variations, giving each car its own unique character -- which is echoed in this OnePlus concept device".
The device has been designed in collaboration with its partner McLaren, the racing and technology brand and creator of luxury sports cars and supercars. Earlier, OnePlus had also partnered with the car company for the OnePlus 7T McLaren edition launched last year.
Also read: Smart toothbrush to robot, all that P&G unveiled at CES 2020
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It might not ever release but OnePlus has unveiled a concept phone at a press event at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at Las Vegas. The OnePlus Concept Phone has a McLaren inspired design with an electrochromic glass technology for hiding the camera. This new technology can change the transparency of the glass that can hide the camera, which OnePlus is referring to as "invisible camera".
OnePlus says that the glass of the Concept One uses organic particles to create changes in transparency so that the glass covering the camera lenses can shift in an instant from opaque black to entirely clear. The glass panels are just 0.1mm each, for a combined total of only 0.35mm. The glass also provides a practical benefit, doubling as a built-in polarizing filter for the camera that can be used to achieve sharper, more finely detailed shots under strong light. This invisible camera has been rigorously tested and calibrated for speed. The OnePlus Concept One takes 0.7s for the glass to transition from solid black to fully clear, faster even than the camera itself takes to fully activate. OnePlus claims that this is the fastest speed yet achieved in the industry, and it uses almost no power. The company has spent nearly eight months and tested more than a hundred different options.
"This concept phone is a significant experiment in the future form of smartphones. OnePlus started this initiative with the goal of bringing the "burdenless" user experience to the next level. The invisible camera stands as a new form of camera design, one that spares the user from the compromises of current camera layouts. The rear camera lenses are hidden by the dynamic electrochromic glass and only become visible when the camera is in use. This optimal solution is what OnePlus calls "Electronic CMF"- a new approach in industrial design," says Pete Lau, CEO and Founder of OnePlus. "This is just the beginning as we explore additional possibilities in the future."
The Concept One draws inspiration from similar technology used in McLaren's 720S Spider luxury sports car, which features a retractable hardtop glazed with an electrochromic glass panel that can rapidly switch between tinted and transparent states. Additionally, the OnePlus Concept One design integrates both glass and leather, using the same luxury trim specially tailored for McLaren's supercars, in the iconic McLaren papaya orange -- a tribute to McLaren Racing's history and seen on the current McLaren Racing Formula 1 car.
Jo Lewis, Colour and Materials Design Manager at McLaren Automotive, says of the OnePlus Concept One: "At McLaren, we select the best quality leathers produced in the UK; it's a material that exudes luxury and we are keen to offer our expertise in the design of this OnePlus concept device. The soft-grained semi-aniline leather is gentle to the touch and its natural grain has a beautiful silky feel. Our design philosophy at McLaren embraces the natural features of the leather through its subtle grain variations, giving each car its own unique character -- which is echoed in this OnePlus concept device".
The device has been designed in collaboration with its partner McLaren, the racing and technology brand and creator of luxury sports cars and supercars. Earlier, OnePlus had also partnered with the car company for the OnePlus 7T McLaren edition launched last year.
Also read: Smart toothbrush to robot, all that P&G unveiled at CES 2020
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine