After a bit of teasing, OnePlus has officially unveiled its Concept One smartphone at CES 2020. The phone has been developed in collaboration with McLaren and is the first smartphone to feature an electrochromic glass panel, which can turn transparent or opaque to reveal or hide the rear cameras. OnePlus claims that it takes just 0.7 seconds to transition from solid black to fully clear, which is quicker than the camera itself takes to fully activate.
This was inspired by McLaren's 720S Spider sports car, which features a retractable hard-top with the same kind of electrochromic material that can be switched between tinted and transparent states. The phone also features a leather panel on the back, in McLaren's signature Papaya Orange shade. OnePlus[1] hasn't revealed any details about specifications or when/if it plans to launch this device anytime soon.
This isn't the first time that OnePlus has experimented with different textures and materials on its phones. We've seen finishes such as bamboo, wood, Kevlar, Alcantara, frosted glass, and ceramic on OnePlus phones in the past. The Concept One's special glass only covers the camera section, while the rest is covered by leather, with exposed stitching. This glass contains organic particles which react to current, to shift to the desired state. Besides this party trick, it also serves a practical purpose as the glass is said to double up as a polarising filter for the cameras when shooting under very harsh light. This is implemented in the camera app in pro mode, and allows for a lower ISO and longer shutter.
OnePlus claims what is used on the Concept One is the most advanced electrochromic glass ever made. Two glass panels sandwich the organic material between them and measure just 0.1mm each, for a combined...