TECH

Pixel 7: Filed patent may indicate an under-display selfie camera for Google's next-gen flagship

The Google Pixel 6 series marked a return to form for Google, after the mostly mid-range Pixel 5. There have already been early traces of the Pixel 7 series, and a new leak may throw some more light on what to expect from the next-gen flagship phone. 

As reported by LetsGoDigital, Google applied for a patent for an under-display selfie camera a while back. Of course, that doesn't count for much, as patents hardly guarantee real-life applications. The fact that this isn't the first time word of an under-display selfie camera on a Pixel phone has surfaced is significant, however. That said, there's a chance this technology appears on a future Pixel device, as under-display selfie cameras are slowly becoming the next big trend in the industry. Xiaomi's Mi Mix 4 and Samsung's ZFold3 both stand out as the highest-profile mainstream applications so far. 

We expect other companies to adapt under-display selfie cameras over the next few years, and the Pixel 7 series may push things forward when it debuts later this year. We wouldn't bet on that, though, as all implementations of the technology so far have performed worse than regular selfie cameras. Would Google trade camera performance for a clean frontal design? Unlikely, but LetsGoDigital's Pixel 7 concept renders make a rather compelling argument.

by Ricci Rox