A recently published Google patent suggests that the Pixel lineup could be getting a major upgrade in the form of an under-screen camera, but it may not come until Google Pixel 7.

This is not the first patent to suggest a Pixel phone without a visible front-facing camera, but this latest document goes into the technology in considerable detail. The document, discovered by Lets Go Digital and filed by Google last September, would put the Pixel in competition with the ZTE Axon 20 5G and others that already have under-display selfie cameras.

The Axon 20 has a much inferior front shooter, but Google's patent suggests that it has found a very creative workaround that could lead to a Pixel phone that does not have to sacrifice image quality to remove the punch hole camera.

The patent revolves around a Pixel device with an OLED display panel and a front camera positioned below this screen. To enable this, an extra display panel is integrated with the OLED screen. Samsung has also filed a similar patent for an under-display camera, which includes an integrated sub-display for an under-screen shooter. [Google's implementation of a second screen, however, differs from Samsung's. These documents propose a system in which a mirror is placed between the camera and the sub-display. When the camera is not in use, the second screen display is projected through the mirror onto the main display screen.

When the camera is activated, the prism rotates and collects the incident light, allowing high-quality photos and videos to be taken. According to the patent, the second screen will also have three sensors. This may be to provide face detection, which the Pixel 5 did not have (although it did have a fingerprint scanner).

It seems like a pretty advanced system, and I would love to try it out for myself. Unfortunately, it will be a while before Google actually releases a Pixel phone with an under-display camera.

Initially, it was said that the Pixel 6 would feature this technology, but leaked renderings show a device with a punch hole camera. This means that the system outlined in the patent may not be utilized until the Pixel 7, which will likely not be released until at least 2022.

There are also widespread rumors that Google will release the Google Pixel Fold in the near future, and perhaps the under-display camera system will debut on Google's first foldable phone. This could help Google compete with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3, which is also rumored to feature an under-display camera.

It is also worth noting that companies regularly file patents, but often on products and systems that are not ultimately adopted into consumer technology. While this proposed under-display camera system is attractive, there is no guarantee that it will actually make it into a Pixel smartphone.