nubia Z18s has a huge color screen on the back, but who is it actually for?

The nubia Z18 was announced just last month, but the brand is already working on a variant, according to leaks. And this particular model, dubbed the nubia Z18s, has a huge color screen on its back.

The device, spotted by Slashleaks (h/t: Android Police), seems like a slick phone at first glance, owing to some ultra-thin bezels on the front and the lack of a notch. But take a look at the back and you’ll see the large color display below the dual-camera setup.

We’ve previously seen a color screen on the back of the Meizu Pro 7 series. But the difference here is that Meizu’s secondary screen is tiny, while the nubia model has a gigantic rear display. We’ve seen large rear screens before too, landing on the YotaPhone series and the HiSense A2 family. But these are merely e-ink screens rather than proper color displays, as is the case with nubia and Meizu’s efforts.

Aside from letting people use the main cameras for selfies and video calls, I’m struggling to think of another use for the rear screen. It all seems like a significant strain on the battery for little in return. At least secondary e-ink displays consume little power, allowing users to actually save juice by reading on this screen instead of the main display. Meizu’s secondary 240 x 536 screen is small but practical, with little impact on battery life (check out our Meizu Pro 7 review at the link).

Finding a cover would also be a big challenge for the nubia device, owing to its unique design. And you’ll want one, because going without a case is just asking for a cracked screen or two here.

Still, we’re glad to see manufacturers tinker around with phone designs, even if they’re rather outlandish. And we can expect more eclectic designs in 2019, as foldable phones are tipped to arrive by then.

What do you think of the nubia Z18S? Would you buy one? Let us know in the comments section.

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