Chinese smartphone maker Vivo on Monday introduced APEX, a "FullView" concept smartphone that has the world's highest screen-to-body ratio and half-screen in-display fingerprint scanning technology.

In pushing the boundaries of mobile experience, Vivo has taken its FullView technology to a new level by introducing new engineering breakthroughs in camera, speaker and sensor elements as well as rethinking the design structure of conventional smartphones. Vivo's approach in fingerprint scanning technology has resulted in the first Half-Screen Fingerprint Scanning Technology on APEX, building on the success of first mass-produced In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Smartphone X20 Plus UD.

The APEX features unprecedented top and side bezels of 1.8mm--the thinnest in the industry, with a 4.3mm bottom bezel. The screen-to-body ratio will exceed 98% if the bottom bezel reaches 1.8mm, ultimately creating truly bezel-less experience. Thanks to the flexible OLED platform, microchips mounted directly to the flexible circuit board enables the APEX's screen-to-body ratio.

Vivo also introduces Screen SoundCasting Technology with APEX, transforming the entire FullView Display into a speaker. The Screen SoundCasting Technology sends vibrations through the display without the need for a traditional loudspeaker. Compared to other audio solutions for bezel-less smartphones, it conserves power, reduces sound leakage, and optimizes low to high pith sound for a better and more balanced audio experience, Vivo claims.

APEX also features an 8MP Elevating Front Camera. The camera rises in 0.8 seconds when it is required and retracts after use. Together with the hidden proximity sensor and ambient light sensor, this eliminates the space taken up by conventional front cameras,.

Vivo has installed the first Half-Screen In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Technology in the APEX. Transforming the entire bottom half of the OLED screen, users can touch anywhere on the bottom half of the screen to perform fingerprint recognition.

Half-Screen In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Technology also enables new usage scenarios, such as the new dual-fingerprint scanning feature in APEX for even greater strengthened security.

APEX deploys a new System in Package (SIP) technology to integrate the DAC and the three operational amplifiers together, reducing the need for circuit board space by nearly 60% compared to previous Xplay. As this frees up more space in the smartphone's interior, this technology can allow for increased battery size as well as cooling, thus opening potential for even more design improvements in future smartphones.