Oppo teaser suggests it’s developing a smartphone with a retractable-lens camera module

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo has published a teaser video showing off a retractable smartphone camera that pops out from the rear of the phone, similar to what we’re accustomed to seeing with many compact camera systems.

Oppo doesn’t specify what the added benefit of this particular telescoping mechanism prototype is, but retractable lenses have historically been used to offer longer focal length ranges while still keeping a compact form factor when not in use. The 15-second teaser shows the module will feature a 1/1.56-inch sensor with a 50mm equivalent F2.4 lens and suggests the entire slide-out mechanism is water-resistant and capable of withstanding falls.

Oppo says the system is ‘self-developed’ and notes we’ll find out more on December 14, when Oppo will be hosting its Inno World event in Shenzhen, China. This annual event has started in 2019 and has been used to highlight the latest gadgets and technology developed by Oppo.

Oppo is a subsidiary of BBK Electronics, which also owns smartphone manufacturers Vivo, OnePlus, Realme and iQOO. Oppo was the first company to show off sensor-based image stabilization in a smartphone back in 2016 and over the years has shown off an array of unique smartphones and prototypes with interesting camera features, including its latest Kodak-branded Find X3 Pro ‘Photographer Edition’ smartphone released back in September.