Vivo's retractable selfie camera is popping up when users don't expect it to
But some users say it's actually a good thing
(Updated to include response from Vivo.)
The selfie camera on Vivo's Nex flagship is an extremely clever solution to the problem facing smartphone makers right now: If you make the screen as big as possible, where does the selfie camera go? Vivo's idea is simply to make it pop out of the top of the device. It makes the screen as big as possible, and let's be honest... it's kinda cool to see the camera emerge automatically when it's needed.
Except some users in China have discovered that it's also popping up when it's not needed, and that's creeping people out.
Some people saw the same thing happening when using Tencent’s QQ Browser. When clicking on a travel booking information page on Ctrip, the selfie camera popped up briefly for half a second, before the user was taken to the Ctrip app.
A Vivo spokesperson said that Vivo has made its technical team aware of the issue and will follow up with us.
Netizens are baffled and a little freaked out by the camera popping out. But far from being an invasion of privacy, some are actually arguing that it's the opposite -- it's helping users understand just when their smartphone cameras are being activated and why.
UPDATE (July 2, 2018): Vivo sent us a statement saying they've "always implemented strict management of application rights," adding that non-necessary permissions are switched off by default.
Vivo delivers a handset with nothing but screen on the front
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For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters, subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast, and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report. Also roam China Tech City, an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus.