Sharp AQUOS R compact tucks selfie camera into under-5-inch display

Remember the Sharp AQUOS R? Or the Essential Phone. Either way, you’ll remember their distinctive selfie camera positioning that protudes into the display area just a bit. Whether you’re a fan of that is up to you, but what a lot of us also appreciate is miniaturization. Sony’s been running the racket on that for a while — let’s see what another Japanese OEM can do.

Sharp’s newest phone for SoftBank this winter is the AQUOS R Compact, a phone that takes this year’s vogue of stretching displays out while keeping the footprint insanely small. While bezel freaks will have a rant or two against this device, the design does integrate a lot of power inside of it.

The display manufacturer’s IGZO LCD panels really come to shine in this phone with refresh rates matching those found in the upgraded iPad Pro models — you just have to know that Sharp’s been at this game for longer. In addition to the specs above, we’ve got a USB-C port, Bluetooth 5.0, IP6X particle protection and IP58 immersion protection. Black, gold, silver and white are the standard colors.

Availability and pricing will be revealed through SoftBank in December.