The Vivo Nex phone ditches the notch and goes bezel-free with a pop-up selfie cam and smart screen

How we scoffed when Apple revealed the ‘all screen’ iPhone X as though it was hoping no-one would notice the notch. Android devices have subsequently (and bafflingly) clamoured to copy Apple’s design, but Vivo Nex (about £580) instead embraces the spirit of the idea, going properly all screen. Well, ish. The massive 6.59in screen has skinny bezels and a bit of a chin, but no notch. The phone retains user authentication and great audio by baking, respectively, a fingerprint sensor and speaker right into the display. It’s properly high-end elsewhere, too, with a powerful Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, Android Oreo 8.1, and a 12MP+5MP dual-camera set-up. But best/worst/most absurdly of all (depending on your predisposition), the 8MP selfie cam pops up from the phone whenever you need it. No news as to whether a bottle opener appears when you’re thirsty, or scissors spring out when you’ve a loose thread, mind.

The Vivo Nex is launching in India, Russia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan this month.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.