Vivo Apex 2019 concept phone has no buttons or ports w/ full display fingerprint sensor, 12GB RAM, 5G support

Damien Wilde | Jan 24 2019 - 6:25 am PT

Imagine a phone with zero input ports, no buttons and an (almost) bezel-free display with a full-screen in-display fingerprint reader and 5G connectivity. Well, the Vivo Apex 2019 might only technically be a concept but Vivo is supposedly taking this exact device to Mobile World Congress next month.

Vivo has a habit of creating devices that break the mold and really push the boundaries of what we think and expect a smartphone to do or how it should work. You don’t have to look far to get a glimpse of this.

Not too long ago, we saw the Vivo NEX bring a second display to the back of the device which actually worked and responded to touch input. That device was only made available in China officially and really is an impressive achievement — albeit one we still don’t really understand too much.

Back to the to the 2019 Vivo Apex, it features a “Super Unibody” curved glass design that is free from any chassis-affecting cutouts. So, yes, no headphone port, USB-C port or even any visible speakers. The screen vibrates to act as a speaker to ensure no speaker grills ruin that complete unibody aesthetic.

You’re probably wondering how the heck this thing takes a charge. Well, that can be done via a rear-mounted magnetic connector that also allows for data transfer. There is no Qi wireless charging though, which is a bit of a puzzling omission on a device with no proper charging port.

As for the biometric security, the Vivo Apex has one of the first full-display fingerprint readers. We’re seeing more and more brands adopt the in-display option and Vivo has beaten many to the punch with a reader that works wherever you touch the display it seems.

In terms of the hardware inside, the Vivo Apex 2019 will come packing in the Snapdragon 855 and also include the Snapdragon X50 5G modem for proper 5G connectivity. It will also have 12GB of RAM, which feels like overkill, but we’ll allow it.

As for the dual camera array on the back, there is no information on the specifications. We can only assume that either the device has no front-facing selfie camera or Vivo is about to wow the world with some in-display camera tech — but we highly doubt that.

Naturally, this device is a testbed for features that we will likely see in future Vivo-made handsets over the next 12 months or so. Whether or not we agree on a device with literally zero input ports, it’s highly likely that we are heading for a port-free existence with our smartphones in the not-too-distant future.

What are you thinking? Are you ready to give up input ports and buttons for a seamless design? Let us know in the comment section below.