ZTE Axon 30 5G With Under-Display Camera Available Globally

The Galaxy Z Fold 3's under-display camera may have validated that niche feature, but it is hardly the first nor the only one using that technology. ZTE has, in fact, just announced its second attempt at a UDC implementation in the Axon 30 5G. While in-depth reviews are still coming, initial feedback about the improvements in the technology sounds promising. Better yet, the phone will be available in markets worldwide, making sure that everyone who wants one will be able to get their hands on it.

Having had more experience in that area, it's no surprise that ZTE would actually perfect the UDC technology first. It's not really perfect yet, but initial tests show significant improvement over the Axon 20's version. ZTE managed to improve image output quality by using a larger camera sensor and more complex algorithms, but the bulk of its improvements seem to focus on being able to hide that hole better.

The Axon 30 5G is the first of its kind to have the area above the UDC sport a 400 PPI pixel density, putting it on the same level as the rest of the display. Through new circuit arrangements, an independent display chip, and other innovations, the phone is able to more precisely control that area to better sync with the entire screen. While not the first smartphone display with a 120Hz refresh rate, it is the first UDC panel with such a feature.

The rest of the ZTE Axon 30 5G is pretty much what you'd expect from a high-end smartphone, though some might point out a few compromises. It uses a Snapdragon 870 5G, not the highest Snapdragon 888, and some might argue that a macro camera doesn't make up for the lack of a telephoto lens.

Those, however, might have also worked in the phone's favor by pushing the price down a bit. For such a premium smartphone, the ZTE Axon 30 5G costs only $499 for an 8GB RAM, 128GB storage model, going all the way up to $599 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The phone will be making its way to international markets, including the US and Canada, on September 9, 2021.