Recent rumors suggest that the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 is in a tricky situation, with no unique selling point. We have an idea of how it could stand out ...

A post from ZTE's Weibo page announced a new generation of under-display camera technology. The ability to hide the selfie camera under the screen is still a novelty, and if Samsung develops its own version, it could give new life to the Galaxy Note line.

ZTE already has experience in this area. The ZTE Axon 20 5G, announced last year, was the world's first to feature an under-display camera. However, while technically impressive, it took substandard selfies compared to rival phones.

The new generation under-display camera increases the pixel density in that area from 200 pixels per inch (PPI) to 400 PPI to more effectively blend in with the surrounding standard display area.

As can be seen in the image below of the Axon 20 5G, the lower pixel density can make it very noticeable where the camera is located.

Additionally, the display refresh rate has been raised to 120 Hz from the 90 Hz seen on the Axon 20. This brings the screen in line with the maximum refresh rate found on many of the best Android phones today, such as Samsung's Galaxy S21 series.

However, ZTE does not seem to have answered the question of photo quality. This is due to the fact that placing a layer of pixels between the subject and the camera reduces the amount of light reaching the photo sensor, resulting in a dark, blurry final image. To solve this, either the photo processing software needs to be improved or the display needs to be radically redesigned to allow more light to pass through.

The other major announcement ZTE posted was a 3D scanner under the display, which is also apparently a world first. This will allow facial recognition systems like Face ID on the iPhone 13 to work without a notch in the display.

ZTE says the technology could be used for 3D modeling, AR applications, and even payment systems, though the post does not elaborate on how.

ZTE is currently the only company using such under-display sensors, but that may not last long. There are rumors that Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Note 21, which is expected to be released by the end of the year, will have hidden selfie cameras. And in 2022, under-display technology will continue to improve and more devices will adopt it.

However, the Galaxy Note 21 has more need for it than the Z Fold 3. Now that Samsung has included the S Pen stylus in the Galaxy S21 Ultra and is rumored to do so in the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the Galaxy Note series has lost its unique selling point. Therefore, if Samsung wants the Note to survive, it needs something new and impressive to make the phone stand out.

It may be some time before all the best phones on the market adopt under-display cameras. But it will be fascinating to see the technology develop before our eyes, and when these second-generation under-display sensors make it into mass-produced devices, we would love to try them out.

More: Google Pixel Fold could challenge the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 later this year