Slightly curved screens aren’t enough for this Chinese phone maker

Users think Oppo’s extreme ‘waterfall’ curve might just be too much

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Slightly curved screens aren’t enough for this Chinese phone maker

Published: 8:03pm, 29 Jul 2019Updated: 9:10am, 20 Sep 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

Smartphones with curved display edges have been around for a while. Samsung first introduced the trend in 2014. But Chinese smartphone maker Oppo is no longer satisfied with slightly curved displays. That’s where the “waterfall screen” comes in.

How Oppo became one of the biggest smartphone makers in China

Why waterfall? The new display has an 88-degree curve, making images and videos seem like they are “falling” off the screen.

The phone was showcased by OPPO Vice President Brian Shen on microblogging site Weibo on Monday. The released images show a display that appears to cover about half of the bezel on each side of the phone, seemingly leaving no room for physical buttons on the sides.

The newly unveiled prototype shows Oppo is edging towards a 100% screen-to-body ratio, with only two thin bezels left on the top and bottom.

Oppo’s new prototype with an 88-degree curved display edge (right) versus its little brother, Oppo Find X (left). (Picture: Oppo)

But not everyone is thrilled about the poetically-branded screen. Some Weibo commenters have pointed out that curved screens are not really that functional. Others said the demonstration videos even show how easy it is to accidentally touch the screen.

Some smartphone fans have pointed out that accidental touches are pretty common with a curved screen. (Picture: Oppo)