The discussion about "full screen" is very intense, and plans to remove the forehead, chin, mechanical structure, and even remove the proactive camera have been proposed.
Wei Qingfan also participated and put forward his own "views":
“First, we can identify two principles:
“First, the larger the screen-to-body ratio, the better.
"Second, the front camera cannot be canceled.
"There should be no doubt about the first point. Some colleagues may have ideas about the second point. This is a good thing. The development of technology needs to be questioned, but when it is launched into the market, we must be sure. We are in the consumer business, and the products we make must be
Consumers pay for it."
He first expressed cautious praise, and then continued: "Next, let's discuss how to increase the screen-to-body ratio while retaining the front camera."
"I...I think there are two options."
The first person to propose the "full screen" solution was Liang Xiyue, an unattractive boy who joined the company as a fresh graduate in 2011. He usually didn't talk much, but when his boss winked at him, he took the initiative to speak a little nervously.
Wei Qingfan smiled and said, "You tell me."
When Yuan Fei, the head of the product department, saw that Liang Xiyue actually asked Mr. Wei about it, he wished he could give him a few words of reprimand, but was afraid of putting more pressure on him, so he had to pretend not to notice in a depressed manner.
Liang Xiyue paused and then said: "The first solution is to reduce the upper and lower borders as much as possible. The width of the 'chin' depends on the 'forehead'. To maintain visual balance, the width of the 'forehead' depends on the size of the front camera.
“Ideally, you can make both the top and bottom borders very narrow, but you have to try it on the Birdsong Series first, because the Birdsong Series has the largest front camera.”
He spoke for a while, which became much smoother, and then took out a prepared piece of printing paper with a rough shape on it.
Wei Qingfan glanced at it and was a little surprised, because the first of the two pictures above was the solution Liang Xiyue just mentioned. It was also the solution originally tried by Samsung in history, which continuously reduced the upper and lower borders.
The second picture is directly a "water drop screen".
Everyone else also saw the graphics on the paper and had no opinion on the first one. However, everyone felt that the second one was a bit nonsense.
"The second option is to make the upper and lower borders as narrow as possible, preferably the same as the left and right borders, and place the camera separately."
After Liang Xiyue finished speaking dryly, she saw that everyone was still staring at her, including Mr. Wei, who seemed to be expecting him to continue speaking. He hesitated for two seconds before saying, "I'm done."
"This is too ugly!"
Someone immediately couldn't help but refute, and then quickly gained everyone's approval.
"Yes, it makes no sense to increase the screen-to-body ratio like this!"
"It's not as good as a mechanical structure."
"I think the mechanical structure is better, hiding the camera inside the fuselage."
"Yes, many people don't use cameras very often, they just turn on the video occasionally."
…
The mechanical structure won the approval of many people, and Wei Qingfan did not stop him. After everyone had finished the routine, he asked Liang Xiyue: "What do you think of the mechanical structure?"
Probably because she was afraid of offending her colleagues, Liang Xiyue was a little hesitant, but finally said: "The space of the mobile phone is limited, the mechanical structure takes up too much space, and I may be afraid of falling."
These two shortcomings are very obvious, but some people still retort: "We can try it on a large-screen mobile phone and sacrifice some battery space, but the battery will not be too small."
"The problem of fear of falling can be solved by technological progress."
…
Everyone was discussing heatedly, but Jiang Qinghuai couldn't help but look at Wei Qingfan next to him.
She felt that Wei Qingfan's attitude was a bit strange. He didn't seem to care much about what plan to adopt, or to be more specific, it seemed that he had already made a decision in his heart.
But Wei Qingfan seemed very happy to see such a discussion and was very interested - not interested in the plan, but interested in everyone discussing this, and he was happy for it.
"He already had a plan?"
"Is there anyone who has a plan similar to his idea?"
Relying on the familiarity of getting along day and night, she couldn't help but have these two guesses in her mind, and she was ready to ask him back.
"In terms of screen-to-body ratio, our ultimate goal is to make a mobile phone with only a screen on the front. Everyone should agree on this."
When the discussion was almost over, Wei Qingfan finally spoke, summarizing and guiding, "However, this mobile phone with only a screen on the front needs to be able to meet the selfie function, but current technology is not able to do that. For example, the camera can be placed under the screen.
…
"In other words, we can basically achieve the current contradiction, or try a solution with only a screen on the front, but we cannot solve the proactive problem."
When he said this, someone had already realized Mr. Wei's preferred plan.
Wei Qingfan paused for a moment, and then someone immediately said: "Yes, so I think Xiyue's solution may not be unfeasible. This is a solution with only one screen on the front. At this stage, it is a compromise on the proactive camera..."
"This is so ugly!"
"Aesthetic issues can be solved by the design department, they are the professionals."
“No matter how designed it is, it’s still ugly!”
"Okay, let's put it this way, comparing a traditional screen mobile phone with a full-screen mobile phone, assuming that the upper and lower borders can be so narrow... As an ordinary consumer, which one are you willing to buy?"
Those who originally opposed it were speechless for a moment, because although the "water drop screen" painted by Liang Xiyue was uncoordinated and even ugly, almost the entire front was covered with a screen, which looked really shocking.
"I wouldn't choose this anyway."
"I do not know either."
"We are talking about ordinary consumers. The shock of a whole screen on the front is enough to offset the shortcomings of an irregular screen."
Generally speaking, there are still many people who are opposed to the water drop screen, but some people have begun to support it. It is hard to say whether they really think the water drop screen is good or just speculate on Mr. Wei's thoughts.
Wei Qingfan did not make a conclusion, but asked: "Can the upper and lower borders be made so narrow at this stage?"
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Basically impossible!"
This is common sense in the industry, because mobile phone screens also need wires to connect them, and there are components. The "chin" of the mobile phone is where these things are placed.
Everyone discussed how to shorten the "chin", and basically thought it could be reduced, but it would be difficult to make it as narrow as Liang Xiyue's drawing, and there would be no place to put the device.
"You should know this, right?"
Wei Qingfan smiled and asked Liang Xiyue, "Why is the drawing so narrow on the drawing?"
"You can use a curved screen."
Liang Xiyue was a little frightened by everyone's opposition, and she was even less confident to speak. Just as she was about to continue speaking, someone was already inspired and exclaimed: "That's right! Bend the screen over..."
There were still people who didn't understand, and there were others who realized it and were about to speak. Yuan Fei also realized it and said in surprise: "Indeed!..."
As the boss of the product department, when he opened his mouth, no one dared to talk to him. Yuan Fei continued: You can bend the screen inside the phone, so that you can only see the screen from the front."
He seemed to be afraid that Mr. Wei wouldn't understand, so he used a piece of paper to make a gesture and bent the bottom of the paper. Now everyone finally understood.
In fact, this is also the "full screen" approach of later generations, that is, the "COP" packaging process led by iPhone
Inside, the width of the "chin" becomes narrower and narrower.
At the beginning of the COP process, the yield rate was extremely low, so the cost was very high. It is said that when mass production first started, the yield rate was only 10%, which means that it takes 10 screens to make one that is qualified and usable.
Of course, after the output increases, the yield rate will definitely increase, otherwise even Apple cannot afford it, and a 10% yield rate will not be able to be mass-produced.
The cost of the screen on the iPhone is so high, but even Samsung itself is reluctant to use it. No one can afford it with a 10% yield rate.
But no matter what, it is certain that the cost of the COP packaging process will be very high for at least three years after mass production, so high that most Android phones cannot afford it.
Therefore, the iPhone X was released in 2017, and in 2020, its lower bezel can still beat the vast majority of Android phones.
Because the price of most Android phones cannot bear the high cost of the COP packaging process.
Under the influence of Wei Qingfan, "special-shaped screens" also became a key research direction after the meeting, and the two solutions of "mechanical structure" and "narrowing the upper and lower borders" were also retained.
Which one is better or worse must be verified with facts.
In addition, a solution similar to Xiaomi Mix was also proposed and retained for one main reason: it is the easiest to implement!
However, such a product design is not very beautiful, so after discussion, we basically agreed to try it on the Guci mobile phone first.
This is a plan determined at the beginning of the dual-brand strategy. Ancient poetry cannot be tried and made wrong. Some unreliable plans should be used by Guci first, try them out for feedback, and accumulate experience. After they are mature, they can be handed over to Guci for use.
"You seem to prefer the 'water drop screen'?"
In the meeting just now, everyone had already determined the concept of "water drop screen". After the meeting, Jiang Qinghuai asked Wei Qingfan curiously, "I think it's so uncoordinated."
"It's not that I like it, it's that the market likes it."
Wei Qingfan smiled and said, "Of these plans, which one do you think is the best to promote? The best to sell?"
"have no idea."
Jiang Qinghuai tilted his head and thought for a while, shook his head and said, "But I think this is not as good-looking as now. I choose the current one."
The two of them had returned to the office. Wei Qingfan kissed her. Jiang Qinghuai deliberately left the door open just now. He subconsciously glanced at the door and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw no one.
She gently pushed Wei Qingfan's hand away from her thigh, pinched him again, and said angrily: "I hate it~"
"My hand slipped~"
Wei Qingfan thought about the feeling and stretched out in the office, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a bigger screen?"
"The key is not just big, but also long."
Jiang Qinghuai hit him again, "I think it's already too big now, just right. If it were made like a water drop screen, it would be too big, too long, and not good-looking."
Wei Qingfan stared at her for two seconds without saying anything. Jiang Qinghuai was a little strange and blinked, "Am I right?"
"Yep."
Wei Qingfan confirmed that she was not teasing him, and said a little funny: "Didn't you dislike being older at the beginning, but now you have adapted to it? When you are older, you can adapt to it again."
"That's different."
Jiang Qinghuai retorted, "There is a gap on the screen, which is too uncomfortable."
Wei Qingfan said nothing and raised his eyebrows at her.
Jiang Qinghuai looked at him strangely. After two seconds, he finally reacted. His face turned red, he pinched him twice in annoyance, and turned around and left.
Wei Qingfan shouted: "Make me a cup of tea."
Jiang Qinghuai didn't look back and snorted: "My aunt is not free, you can make it yourself!"
"So arrogant?"
Wei Qingfan laughed out loud and whispered: "I'll take care of you tonight."
After finishing speaking, he looked down at the bandage on his right hand, paused, and said: "Forget it, you can take care of me..."
Jiang Qinghuai ignored him, returned to his office, confirmed his follow-up itinerary, then sorted out the documents and mailboxes that had just been sent, and earnestly performed his duties as a secretary.