Oppo’s detachable Bubble screen spotlights Android’s magnet gap
The tiny wireless display works as a rear-camera selfie screen or remote, but The Verge reports it needs add-on magnets even on supported Oppo phones.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Oppo’s Bubble adds a detachable screen to a phone for rear-camera selfies and remote shooting, according to The Verge. The accessory also exposes a practical problem: The Verge reports that it works with only a small set of Oppo phones, and those phones do not have built-in magnets to hold it in place.
The Bubble is a small wireless display that can be attached to a phone or used separately, The Verge’s Dominic Preston reported after using it. Preston described it as the strongest version he has tried of this kind of add-on, while arguing that it would work better if Oppo and more Android phone makers supported Qi2.
According to The Verge, the accessory is a compact puck measuring 7mm thick and weighing 27.5g. It has a 1.73-inch circular OLED touchscreen and a 550mAh battery, though The Verge said Oppo did not provide an estimated battery life.
The Bubble connects to the phone wirelessly, The Verge reported, so users do not need to plug it in during use. It still includes a USB-C port for charging, according to the report.
The main use is camera control, The Verge said. Users can view the phone camera feed on the Bubble, take photos, record video and switch among a few basic zoom options for rear lenses, according to Preston.
The Verge said the round display is not ideal for lining up a standard rectangular image, but Preston found it usable for framing shots. The touchscreen does not support tap-to-focus, according to the report.
A magnetic accessory without matching phones
The Bubble can attach to the back of a phone with a magnetic mount, The Verge reported. That setup lets users shoot selfies with the phone’s rear cameras rather than relying on the front-facing camera.
The catch is that the Bubble needs extra magnetic hardware to attach, according to The Verge. Preston noted that the supported Oppo phones lack their own magnets, which makes the accessory feel like an argument for broader Qi2 support among Android manufacturers.
The Verge compared the Bubble’s concept to other phone-camera screen accessories, including Insta360’s Snap and Dockcase’s Selfix phone case, while noting that Oppo’s device is much smaller. The report framed the Bubble as a simpler take on the same idea: a removable screen for seeing and controlling the rear camera.
Oppo also appears to expect people to use the Bubble away from the phone, The Verge reported. The accessory has a range of 33 feet and can act as a wireless camera remote, according to the report.
The Verge said Oppo includes a silicone bumper case and a star-shaped lanyard attachment in the box. Preston wrote that those bundled extras suggest Oppo sees handheld remote use as a major part of the product, not only direct attachment to the back of a phone.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.