Vivo will have to license the tech from them

Remember Vivo’s cool Apex concept smartphone? You know, the one that has a pop-up camera hidden in the frame? While that might be a clever bit of engineering to ensure that the device has maximum display space without utilizing an iPhone X-like notch, the company will run into legal problems if they try to run with that particular concept. 

Essential, the phone company that’s run by Andy Rubin the man behind the Android OS, owns the patent for that clever bit of tech. It was filed in May of 2016 under the name of “Apparatus and method to maximize the display area of a mobile device.”

https://twitter.com/Arubin/status/969788083284541440

The patent application clearly shows the front camera popping up from the top of the phone, similar to the one in Vivo’s Apex concept device. While Vivo’s in the clear with the Apex since it’s only a concept phone, if they ever decide to mass produce it, they’ll likely run into legal trouble with Essential. Vivo has two options here – they can try to license the tech from Essential, who will likely ask for top $$$ to let Vivo use it or they’ll have to abandon the concept altogether.