Vivo had recently unveiled its new S10 smartphone series in China last week. The series consist of a standard and Pro variants, which feature similar mid-range specifications but differ in terms of camera capabilities. Most interesting of all, both phones are the first from the brand to come with a rear cover which changes colour under direct sunlight.
This is thanks to an existing method known as photochromic technology, which has been re-engineered by Vivo in order to be used as smartphone covers. If the name sounds familiar, it is because the approach is also widely featured on certain eyewear – where its lenses would darken when exposed to bright sunlight and later revert back to normal when under normal or low lighting conditions.
The same effect also applies to the rear panels of the Vivo S10 series, which changes its default icy blue with an orange hue colour to a darker “Klein blue”. Vivo says that the process will only take three seconds to shift its tone under direct sunlight, and would gradually revert back to its original colour when kept away from it. Clearly, photochromic plays no significant role aside from being a visual gimmick, but it can be loads of fun with a bit of creativity.
Use this article’s header image for instance, which was shared by well-known leakster Ice Universe. In order to achieve something similar to that, simply place the Vivo S10’s rear panel underneath an object that features openings that allow sunlight to pass through, while also keeping some parts of the phone covered. In another example provided by Sparrow News, a flower is left on top of the case for a few seconds which then forms a very nice looking motif. As mentioned earlier, this is merely intended to be a nifty little trick to impress people at parties (probably).
Also, keep in mind that the photochromic effect isn’t to be confused with another colour changing technology that Vivo showcased last year, which was the electrochromic glass technology. Unlike the one featured on the S10, this piece of tech is a bit more fancier as it uses electricity to “turn off” an overlapping colour in order to expose a different one that is hidden below.
As for the smartphone series itself, both the standard and Pro variants come with the same 6.44-inch SuperAMOLED FHD+ display with 90Hz refresh rate, as well as an under-display fingerprint scanner. Housed within the screen’s notch is a 44MP + 8MP dual front camera system, while the upper bezel features dual front-facing LED lights which are similar to those offered on the Vivo V21.
The Vivo S10 series are powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1100 chipset, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. Powering the duo is a 3,970mAh battery with 44W fast charging technology via USB-C.
What sets both variants apart is the different primary cameras featured. The standard S10 model is equipped with a 64MP main camera, whereas the S10 Pro comes with a larger 108MP shooter. Both of which are accompanied by the same 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro cameras.
The Vivo S10 smartphone series is slated to go on sale in China on 23 July 2021 at a starting price of RMB2,799 (~RM1,832). The brand has not announced any plans of releasing either model in other regions at this time.
