MWC 2018: Vivo APEX concept smartphone with world’s first half-screen fingerprint scanner launched

Chinese smartphone maker Vivo on Monday introduced a new concept smartphone called "APEX" at the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2018 (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain. Vivo APEX features the world's first half-screen in-display fingerprint scanning technology.

The concept smartphone's "FullView" display also has the world's highest screen-to-body ratio.

The first device from the company with the industry first in-display fingerprint scanning technology was X20 Plus UD which was unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show 2018 (CES) in January.

"We are committed to bringing in technology and innovation in every new product that comes out of our stable and APEX is not an exception. The futuristic design innovations in APEX are only a fraction of our innovation pipeline," Alex Feng, Senior Vice President of Vivo, said in a statement.

Vivo APEX features top and side bezels of 1.8-mm -- the thinnest in the industry and a 4.3-mm bottom bezel and a screen-to-body ratio exceeding 98%.

Microchips mounted directly to the flexible circuit board result in the staggering screen-to-body ratio, courtesy of a flexible OLED platform.

The smartphone maker has fitted the world's first half-screen in-display fingerprint scanning technology in the APEX phone that lets the complete bottom half of the OLED screen recognise a fingerprint.

The technology also enables new usage scenarios such as the new dual-fingerprint scanning feature in APEX for greater security.

The concept device features an 8-megapixel elevating front camera and the company's own "Screen SoundCasting" technology that sends vibrations through the display without the need for a traditional loudspeaker.