By While we’d heard Oppo would be bringing a new high end smartphone to the masses, it has finally been made official. It’s the Oppo N1, a 5.9 inch smartphone with a Snapdragon 600 processor sitting inside. This unique device features a 13 megapixel rotating camera that can be horizontally swiveled for up to 260 degrees of range.
Thus, it acts as both the rest and front camera, and any other angle you might need. The unique sensor features a 6-element f/2.0 lens that’s supposed to be able to deliver stunning imagery, though we can’t vouch for that promise ourselves just yet.
The self diffusing LED flash means you can use it to create ample lighting for not only rear images, but front ones, as well (we’ve always wanted a phone with front-facing flash). The camera can be awakened at any moment simply by twisting the lens a bit, giving you the ability to quickly launch the thing in situations where you don’t have a ton of time to waste. Oppo is also interesting their O-Touch and O-Click technologies. Simply put:
O-Touch Panel
O-Touch is an entirely new way of using your smartphone. A 12 cm2 rear touch panel makes one handed use for the large N1 screen comfortable and easy. With O-Touch you can scroll, tap, or snap photos – all without your fingers blocking the display.O-Click Control
O-Click lets you remotely operate the N1 camera even when you’re away from the device. Simply position the N1 and step back. If you misplace your device, find it by setting off an alarm on the phone. O-Click fits on your keychain and supports a range of up to 50 meters, staying connected to your OPPO N1 via Bluetooth (BLE).
The Oppo N1 is also the first device that will launch with support for flashing CyanogenMod from the device’s stock recovery. It’ll ship with Oppo’s Android 4.2.2-based color user interface, but they are giving users quite the excellent choice without having to go through convoluted rooting and bootloader unlocking steps.
To top all of that off, they’ll also be releasing a special CyanogenMod edition of the N1 that will come preinstalled with the community-driven AOSP-based ROM. We’d heard they’d look to do something like this last week after the announcement of Cyanogen Inc, a company dedicated to developing CyanogenMod and turning what was once a grassroots movement into a fully legitimate business (which was capable of raising $7 million in funding to start).
This is a great first step for CyanogenMod, and we aren’t surprise at Oppo’s desire to be one of the first looking to get on board for the ride. As for the rest of the device, take note of the following list of specs:
- 5.9 inch 1080p HD display
- 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
- 2GB of RAM
- 16GB or 32GB of internal storage
- 13MP Rotating 6-element camera
- WiFi ac, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS
- 3,610 mAh battery
- Android 4.2
There’s no word on pricing or a solid release date just yet, though Oppo plans to bring it out early December. We’ll be contacting Oppo to see if we can’t find out which exact markets this thing is headed to. In the meantime, let us know if you’d be in for one if it did launch in your area in the comments section below.
Cyanogen going incorporated and using Google’s base source code… I have a feeling this isn’t going to end well.
If you are referring to what happened years ago let me clarify a little. They are aloud to use source, and modify the Android system ad distribute. Where they got in trouble previously is actually modifying and distributing the apps, which is not open source.
Now there may be a problem with Oppo and Google due to non competition contract or whatever it is called. Companies can make and sell products using different operating systems as long as they are not systems based on a current system. Like Samsung can sell Android and WP phones, but not phones that run an off shoot of either of those products.
Oppo isn’t in the Open Handset Alliance so it’s okay.
Ahh, OK.
How is Cyanogen any different from MIUI, Touch Wiz, Sense or even Amazon’s bastardized version of Android? They’re all modified version of Android. Android was designed to be forked and used for whatever you wanted.
Like I said, modifying Android is not a big deal. Modding the apps to certain extents is. That is why when you flash CM, you also flash official gapps.
You don’t think Cyanogen is getting paid by Oppo? When money starts exchanging hands for code that isn’t theirs, it starts the ball rolling for litigation in some form.
Yes, god forbid somebody makes money on something? I’m sure Oppo is making money or trying. Just don’t understand all this hate because some guys are trying to make a livng in doing something they love.
No one is hating. In fact I’ve used Cyanogen on my devices for YEARS. I’m simply predicting that this could turn ugly because money is involved. Relax. I hope it doesn’t turn ugly and they become millionaires. I like what they’re doing.
CM knows the rules by now. They know what they are legally aloud to do or not. And from what I understand that they are aloud to distribute modified versions of the Android system without penalty.
LTE? If so, I’m very interested.
Very interesting.
Sweet! but I’ll probably root it and put 4.3 CM nightlies on it.. or maybe PA ;)
What? How does that work. Isn’t it already CM? *rereads post* Oh!! You did say CM nightlies.
I’d figure the nightlies would work fine since it’s a CM based phone, in a way.
That battery though
Quentyn, any chance this might see daylight in the west?
Working on an answer from Oppo as I type.
if it has TMO’s 4G and LTE bands the I’d be in
Tmo and especially AT&T are compatible with world phones. AT&T is more compatible since they don’t have that one band that Tmo needs for HSPA in some places.
Yes, I wonder why phones didnt do this, I had a korean phone back in 2003 that had swivel camera. awesome.
I still have a shell Samsung that has a camera like that as well and it was pretty cool.
http://m.phonegg.com/1/107b.jpg
I personally like the idea if it’s done well.
Wow I feel like an archaeologist after seeing this. “And this is the cell phone that the ancient Egyptians used to help build the pyramids…”
WTF!? So the idea was already out!? That’s crazy. I do wonder why people aren’t doing this.
Maybe they’re afraid the part would break easily and they don’t want to have to pay for maintenance charges on those parts.
swivel camera is weird. Probably no case either.
Maybe a case would be designed to leave the top open.
Goodbye Samsung, hello OPPO :-)
Goodbye, HTC.
Beautiful Hardware with great specs. CyanogenMod built just for that phone, running as smooth as glass. What a great package. I would really enjoy this phone. Maybe just maybe this phone will see the US market.
Vinny
So wait…is this phone water proof as well??? In one of the picture it shows the phone with water droplets all over it? Very cool idea an it almost gives me the feeling that CyanogenMod is going to do some HUGE things in the future….possibly even releasing a brand new stock OS on a flagship phone they commissioned from Oppo or better yet Samsung. Mark my words people I believe that Google might have some fierce competition for their Android OS sometime in the near future if CyanogenMod plays their cards right. But anyways back to this phone…it’s cool but just think about how much dirt and dust and grim you’re gonna get in that twisting camera slot..I’ll pass on this one.
Since CyanogenMod is a mod of Android, I don’t see this effecting Google at all.
“works as a rest and front camera” …not rear and front?
Top camera. You can point and shoot. Literally. =.P
Ooo!! Imagine AR (Augmented Reality) games where you have to shoot something. So you point the camera towards the top and make it look like the phone is actually pointing and shooting. That would be a pretty cool way to play that game.
Hmm… Them ideas, though.
OPPO’s website said 206° of rotation, not 260° as mentioned here. After all, only 180° would turn a back facing camera into a front facing.
206 would allow it to point down a little while it the front. I was wondering about that too. I was like 180 is a straight line. I didn’t think too much of it, though. LoL!! Imagine 260 degrees. You’re able to take a picture of the area in between the phone and the camera. Take a picture of your phone insides. =.P
3610 mAh battery? Yes please!
Snapdragon 800 or GTFO.
Nexus or GTFO.
iPhone 5S rules!
Unless Google do something…
Seriously boys…I’m a little disapointed.26 comments so far and not a one making some kind of Office Space / O-Face (front) camera reference. Sad. The lack of flash for selfies is hurting the kiddies. I’m glad that someone has finally taken a stand for this injustice and done something about it. In all seriousness, if it were durable a rotating camera makes a lot of sense. Then you still get quality specs without upping the price and a way better FF than any other phone without raising the price of a device. Nice.
That’s what I’m saying. Self-shots would be AMAZING. All without some uber high price just to get some large front facing camera.
I hope this takes off and other manufactures learn from this idea. It’s pretty clever. I like it a lot. And you can even have flash for self-shots!? That may not be the best idea, but that’s still pretty cool nonetheless.
If I’m going to have a government spying on me 24/7 I think I’d rather it be my own. Yay!!! New CM 11!!! Now with free Chinese government spying. Does CM now stand for China Mobile?
People like you bother me. Cyanogenmod is open source. If there were anything used to “spy on us”, we would know it. Please do research before going around and posting ridiculous conspiracies.
Cyanogenmod is open source but there will be some Cyanogenmod Inc. proprietary stuff thrown in. Guess what?? You don’t get to dig through the source of the proprietary I.P.
Perhaps I’m not the one who should be researching. Have they said that the CM version of the N1 would be 100% open source? Please point me to that quote if you ever find it.
They are offering a Cyanogenmod edition N1. This will be the same ROM that is provided as a standalone ROM. Even their stock firmware is GPL certified and fully open source, so something like that simply will not happen. The phone is completely open source, just like the Find 5.
tl:dr;
Just because it says Incorporated doesn’t mean they’re an unstoppable force of evil helping the evil USA spy on everyone for no reason.
WTF!? A rotating camera!? That’s so INGENIOUS!! Oh my gosh!! You have no idea how much I want this phone right now.
Finally!! Some hardware innovation. I’m tired of all these software gimmicks. LoL!! I might have to start looking at these Oppo phones more often. Hmm… Anyone want to buy an HTC One? =.P
finally someone has done a rotating camera again. i remember my samsung v200 had a rotating camera years ago and wondered when someone would do it again.
remember my samsung v200 had a rotating camera years ago. glad someones bringing rotating camera back. i personally think there was more hardware innovations in the early 2000’s, was so many different and unique looking designs where as now everything is basically just slabs.. windows 8 thankfully has started bringing that hardware design innovation back with the ultrabooks,aio etc.
nice specs, and like the battery life on it.
Not interested, but I sure coveted the Oppo Find 5!
They should make the camera auto-rotate so as to not allow someone to video in portrait mode. Let’s stop the madness that is HD video recording in portrait!!!
Swivel camera means — 36-hedron Photosphere selfies ;-)
Actually, I had a swiveling display on Canon G1. It is quite a useful feature. I imagine it is left off on most phones/cameras because it is a moving part — trouble manufacturing and a failure point when in the end user’s hands.
Rotating camera is not a new idea but a motorized rotating camera would be a game changer for sure,Imagin changing camera direction using touch screen, I remember in good old days in samsung clamshell T200 they manage to introduce an auto open/close function with the help of miniature motors same motors can be attached to this camera module