Meizu and Vivo bring us closer to a smartphone future of zero buttons and ports


  • TECH
  • Saturday, 26 Jan 2019

The Meizu Zero offers a bezel-less notchless screen and no openings of any kind. — AFP Relaxnews

Meizu and Vivo have simultaneously presented new smartphones with no openings whatever (no buttons, ports, speaker grills, SIM card drawers, etc.) and bezel-less and notchless screens. The new models will be on display at next Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, which will be held from Feb 25 to 28 this year.

At first glance, the Meizu Zero and Vivo APEX 2019 have taken innovation to a new level. Both of the new smartphones feature bezel-less screens and minimalist designs that have eliminated any front or side openings. The only interruption in their ultra-sleek lines is a dual camera on the rear of each of the new models.

Given that they have no power supply connectors, both of the phones offer wireless charging. And given that they have no audio jacks, users will have to listen to music via Bluetooth headphones. With regard to audio calls, the Meizo features a system that transforms its screen into a speaker. Both of the phones have optical in-display fingerprint sensors. On their sides, there are no protruding volume buttons, but panels that offer haptic feedback so you still have the sense of touching something. Last, but not least, there are no SIM card enclosures, because both phones are equipped with e-SIMs (the "e" is for "embedded"), which are already installed when you buy the phone, and do not need to be swapped out when changing operators. And let's not forget one of the key advantages of these designs with no openings – both of these phones are fully waterproof.

As to their specifications: the Meizu Zero is equipped with a 5.99in screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and 6GB of RAM. For its part, the Vivo APEX 2019 has a 6.39in display, a 5G-compatible Snapdragon 855 chip and a record 12GB of RAM. For the moment, the spectacular Vivo APEX 2019 has been presented as a concept. However, the Meizu Zero appears to be ready for launch. Both of the new phones will come under intense scrutiny at the Mobile World Congress next month.

The Mobile World Congress will run from Feb 25 to 28 in Barcelona. Website: mobileworldcongress.com. – AFP Relaxnews

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