Vivo Apex Concept Headed to Mass Production Michael Kwan March 8, 2018 News Remember the Vivo Apex concept phone being shown off at MWC 2018 a couple weeks ago? We said at the time that having a true bezel-free phone with an in-display fingerprint scanner that takes up to half the screen was actually within the realm of possibility. Now, it’s entered the realm of reality, because the Vivo Apex is getting a public release! As a quick refresher, the Vivo Apex was a concept phone that was being demonstrated at Mobile World Congress by Chinese company Vivo. It came with a number of features that could each be real game changers individually, but they’re all being packaged into a single device. For starters, there’s the in-display fingerprint scanner that takes up half of the screen (more like a third), so you can place you thumb or finger within the designated zone and it would unlock your phone. This worked via a CMOS sensor hidden behind the display. The display also vibrates to replace the traditional earpiece for phone calls, further allowing for a near bezel-free experience. And then there’s that unique pop-up selfie cam to further enable a bezel-free and notch-free design. Revolutionary, but well within what is possible with smartphones in the very near future. The very near future, it seems, because Vivo has officially confirmed that the Vivo Apex will be sold to the public toward the end of this year or early next year. Mass production is scheduled to start around the middle of this year. The exact pricing and final specs have not yet been revealed, as both of those will naturally be subject to change between now and launch day. If it’s close the concept, we can expect a 5.99-inch OLED display, Snapdragon 845, USB-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Based on Vivo’s presence and practices thus far, the Vivo Apex probably won’t be sold in North America through traditional channels. Or maybe this phone could make for one super exciting debut in this market. Fingers crossed! Share This With The World!
