New OPPO Bubble Screen Arrives Nov 16: Is It Worth Buying?

OPPO will release an upgraded Bubble selfie screen on November 16 at 19:00. It will share the stage with the Reno17 series. The price stays at 499 yuan, or about $75, the same as the current model.

The Bubble is a small magnetic display that sticks to the back of a phone. It lets users frame selfies with the better rear camera. The upgrade adds a few software features, but not much else has changed.

OPPO lists three additions. Users can edit the wallpaper shown on the screen. The unit also supports shooting with several people in the frame. And it offers an ultra-clear rear selfie preview.

That last point needs a closer look. The first Bubble already had a live rear camera preview. So the headline feature is not new. The details released so far list no hardware changes. The upgrade looks smaller than the announcement suggests.

The first Bubble went on sale in China on May 25, with the Reno 16 series. It has a 1.73-inch round AMOLED screen and a 550 mAh battery. It weighs about 27 grams. A magnet holds it to the phone.

It also works as a remote. The phone can stream the camera view to the Bubble from up to 10 meters away. That helps with wide group shots or odd angles. It also means the user does not have to hold the phone at arm’s length.

The Bubble does not work with every phone. The first model needs an OPPO Reno 14, 15 or 16, or a Find X8 or X9 model, and an app to run the preview. OPPO has not said whether the new version widens that list. It has also not said whether the upgrade will leave China.

The first Bubble did reach global markets with the Reno 16, at 129 euros. That is a high price for a screen that works with a short list of phones. In my view, OPPO should widen the support list before it adds more features.

Owners of compatible OPPO phones have no reason to hurry. The price is unchanged, and the details of the new version are still thin. Wait for the launch event and check the final feature list before you spend any money.

The Reno17 series arrives on the same day. If the phones come with a longer list of supported devices or a global plan for the Bubble, that would be the real news from the event.