Samsung Abandons Under Display Camera Ambitions After Foldable Experiment Fails

Samsung has quietly discontinued its Under Display Camera technology. The innovative feature first appeared on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in 2021. It was designed to hide the selfie camera beneath the screen for a seamless display. After several generations, Samsung has now removed UDC from its latest foldable phones. This move signals the end of a major tech experiment.

The company had hoped UDC would become the future of front-facing cameras. It aimed to eliminate the need for display cutouts or punch holes. However, the technology never advanced enough to match conventional camera quality. According to Reuters, persistent technical limitations ultimately led to its demise.

Why Samsung’s Under Display Camera Couldn’t Succeed

Under Display Camera technology faced fundamental challenges from the start. The camera sensor must capture light through a microscopic display grid. This grid significantly reduces image quality and brightness. Larger pixels are needed to compensate for the light loss, which forces a lower resolution.

The result was consistently inferior selfie photos. Images appeared softer and less detailed compared to traditional cameras. Low-light performance was particularly problematic. These quality trade-offs proved too significant for most consumers.

Samsung’s foldable phones were the only devices to ever use this technology. The Galaxy Z Fold series was a unique testing ground. It could afford to have a weaker UDC because it also featured a high-quality outer selfie camera. This dual-camera setup offset the UDC’s limitations for foldable users.

The Future of Bezel-Less Phone Displays

Samsung’s retreat from UDC technology has broader implications. It suggests that truly invisible selfie cameras remain a distant dream. The industry must now explore alternative paths to all-screen designs. Other concepts, like pop-up cameras, have also been largely abandoned due to mechanical concerns.

For now, the punch-hole display remains the standard solution. It offers the best balance of screen real estate and camera performance. Manufacturers are now focusing on minimizing the size of these cutouts instead of eliminating them entirely. This appears to be the most practical direction for the foreseeable future.

The discontinuation of the Under Display Camera marks the end of an ambitious Samsung project. While the goal of a perfectly clean display was compelling, the technical execution never matched the vision. For now, consumers will have to accept that the best selfie quality still requires a visible camera component on their screens.

Thought you’d like to know

What is an Under Display Camera?

An Under Display Camera is a front-facing camera placed beneath the phone’s screen. The display has a microscopic grid above the sensor to allow light through. This technology aims to create a seamless screen without any notches or punch holes.

Which Samsung phones had UDC technology?

The feature debuted on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in 2021. It was also present on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Fold 5, and Z Fold 6. Samsung has now removed UDC from the latest Galaxy Z Fold 7 models.

Why did Samsung stop using Under Display Cameras?

The technology consistently produced lower-quality selfies than traditional cameras. Image softness and poor low-light performance were the main issues. The technical limitations could not be overcome without significant compromises.

Will Samsung bring back UDC technology in the future?

There are no current indications of a return to UDC technology. Samsung appears to have shelved the project indefinitely. Future advancements would require a fundamental breakthrough in display and camera technology.

Are other phone companies using Under Display Cameras?

A few Chinese manufacturers have experimented with similar technology. However, none have achieved widespread adoption or commercial success. The industry has largely moved away from this approach due to the same quality issues Samsung faced.

Trusted Sources

Reuters, Associated Press