New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Front Camera Lens on Future iPhones Could Be Hidden With Special 'Pure Black' Coating

Friday September 28, 2018 7:58 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
iPhone camera lens supplier Largan Precision is developing a special black coating for front-facing smartphone camera lenses, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst at Chinese investment firm GF Securities.


Pu's research note, shared by Taiwanese publications Economic Daily News and MoneyDJ, claims that one or two smartphone makers could adopt the technology as early as 2020. Given that Largan already has a relationship with Apple, it is speculated that the special coating could be applied to future iPhones.

A translated version of the Economic Daily News report says the special coating would allow the front camera lens to "completely disappear." A translation of the MoneyDJ report says the coating will be "pure black," eliminating the "small spots" like those visible in the notch on the iPhone X and newer.

The front camera lens already blends into the notch pretty well on iPhones, but it is visible from certain angles and lighting conditions. The special coating would presumably make the lens completely invisible to the eye.

Apple design chief Jony Ive has long dreamed of an iPhone that resembles a single sheet of glass, and hiding the front camera lens would be yet another step towards that goal, even if it sounds like an insignificant change. This is the first time we've heard this rumor, however, so treat it with some skepticism.

Tags: Jeff Pu, 2020 iPhones
[ 117 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
Basic75
12 months ago
As long as there's a notch, is it really a problem that the camera is "visible from certain angles and lighting conditions"? I don't think so.
Rating: 50 Votes
Avatar
Hazmat401
12 months ago
How bout getting rid of that notch
Rating: 22 Votes
Avatar
Baymowe335
12 months ago

We don´t want invisible cameras. We want better cameras.

We'll get both.
Rating: 21 Votes
Avatar
ouimetnick
12 months ago
If he wants it to be a sheet of glass, you are going to have to hide the protruding rear camera.
Rating: 18 Votes
Avatar
MaxSto
12 months ago
We don´t want invisible cameras. We want better cameras.
Rating: 16 Votes
Avatar
vertical smile
12 months ago

If he wants it to be a sheet of glass, you are going to have to hide the protruding rear camera.

I'd much rather have no camera bump on the back than a hidden front camera.


I'd be willing to bet you don't even have an iPhone with a notch, huh?


Not sure what this is supposed to mean. They stated they didn't like the notch, so it wouldn't be surprising if they didn't own an iPhone with a notch.

Are you saying if they had a phone with a notch they would like the notch?
Rating: 15 Votes
Avatar
Wiesenlooser
12 months ago
Pretty misleading headline. Thought they were trying to get rid of the notch, but in reality it is just making the camera less sparkly.
Rating: 14 Votes
Avatar
iapplelove
12 months ago

We don´t want invisible cameras. We want better cameras.


Why not both?
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
Baymowe335
12 months ago

Can never happen. There has to be a bezel or notch for cameras / sensors. No way around it.

Yeah, usually not a good idea to proclaim something in tech isn't possible. We always move forward.
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
jaredlipsitz
12 months ago

Nice so you don’t know where the lens is to look into it. ****** idea imo


Well you'll know that it's...at the top of your phone...near the middle.
Rating: 8 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]