Samsung’s next Galaxy Z Flip may not have an ear speaker: report
Samsung’s upcoming foldable Z Flip clamshell style may have a different kind of ear speaker that will allow users to answer calls privately even when folded. Currently on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, users can only answer calls through the phone’s speaker when it is closed, meaning a call cannot be private and the user must open the foldable phone to answer the call privately. Samsung and LG are reportedly working on a new solution that will hopefully bypass this barrier and help create more space for other smartphone components.
According to a Korean news source Sisa JournalSamsung is working with LG to develop a new type of display that will replace the usual ear speaker on all types of smartphones. However, the development is mainly focused on foldable devices, especially clamshell-style models that currently need to be fully opened to answer private calls.
The new display currently in development will reportedly use piezoelectric technology to vibrate the screen to produce sound. The technology should ideally work well enough to replace the ear speaker found behind the punch-hole displays on all smartphones these days.
According to the report, this piezoelectric speaker will be embedded in layers in the display and therefore does not require any additional equipment. Since the two components are fused together, there would be less need for a dedicated ear speaker that can take up space behind the screen at the top of the smartphone. This would make room for other components, which is always a good thing given the space limitations in most folding clamshells.
Researchers explain that the integration of this speaker technology into the cover display enables two different audio sources, allowing users to place their ear directly on the cover display and answer private calls for the first time.
The use of piezoelectric technology is not new. Xiaomi’s Mi Mix was the first brand to introduce the technology in a production smartphone in 2016. The device (which was only released in China) used a piezoelectric acoustic ceramic earphone speaker, as well as the ultrasonic proximity sensor instead of the traditional front. -focused infrared sensor in its quest to go bezel-less (at least around the top of the smartphone).
The selfie camera was oddly placed in a thick bezel at the bottom to provide a distraction-free viewing experience at the top. The phone also had a ceramic back panel. The phone eventually reached India in the form of the Mi Mix 2, which unfortunately skipped the new speaker technology and went with a traditional one.
