Apple is in need of a boost for the iPhone. With an update expected in the Fall, most of the attention has focused on the new iOS 7 operating system. No doubt iOS 7 will spur innovation, but people need to see a better phone. The iconic Apple device has slipped behind rivals like Samsung and HTC , and maybe even Sony ‘s new Experia. Help is at hand, though.
By popular consensus the display on the iPhone and the display on its main competitor, the Samsung S4, are on a par. But they have different virtues. The Retina is crisp and precise as well as bright. The AMOLED on the S4 has a much richer color gamut. The difference in these virtues though is profound. Color is an essential part of the consumer experience and LCD screens, like the Retina, cannot compete with the rich colors of OLED. Until now.
3M ‘s Optical Systems Division, and nanotech partner Nanosys, are finally bringing their QDEF, color enhancement technology to LCD displays, an advance that promises a 50% increase in the color experienced by users. The technology is twenty years in the making and was expected to be on the market in 2011.
The launch was announced back in May and the technology is now beginning to get traction across the smartphone, advertising and TV markets. The technology could be exactly the boost that Apple needs to draw the Retina ahead of the S4 (though it is worth noting that Samsung has just released an LCD version of the S4 – the Active).
“It puts LCD on the same plane as OLED (the Samsung technology),” claims senior researcher John van der Lofske, from 3M Optical Systems Division.
Quantum Dot Enhancement Film, to give it its full name, is created by cultivating nano-sized crystals. Jeff Yurek, Product Marketing Manager at Nanosys, explains: “We use an electro-chemical process to grow crystals to between 2 and 12 nanometers, less than the size of a virus. The amazing thing about these materials is at the nano scale they have very different qualities. The size of the crystal determines a different color.” He quotes deeper reds as one stand-out example of the effect of QDEF. The technology also makes the displays more energy efficient.
Nanosys is an American success story. Founded 12 years ago, and still in an extended start-up phase, the basic technology used by the company comes with patents from luminary American research institutions like MIT and Harvard. Those patents go back to the 1990s.
“A new material can take up to twenty years to bring to market,” Jeff says. “That’s about the timescale we’re on”.
QDEF is packaged into LCD back panel films by 3M, who are currently ramping up production. The expectation is that smartphone makers will have the new color displays in the shops by Christmas, according to John.
“We have samples out with every one of them,” John tells me. “The evidence is, once people experience better color, they don’t go back. There’s an opportunity here for differentiation by being first into the market.” Apple is among the companies assessing QDEF.
The technology allows for a simple swap-out, swap-in on the production line. LCD manufacturers take out a diffusion film in the back panel and drop the QDEF in its place. It means a cost increase that Nanosys describe as marginal and 3M describe as a few percentage points.
Combined with the Retina, it should make for an awesome display. And the new color possibilities make Jony Ive’s new design for iOS 7 seem more astute. Apple’s old design would look confusing if color were the main virtue of the display. By clearing away visual clutter by going for flatter and whiter screens, the colors get a better chance of doing their job – enhancing consumer experience.
But the next generation LCD display also presents challenges for Apple. It will want to put its own stamp on the technology and if that takes too much time, Apple risks being a follower not a leader. It doesn’t need to go with QDEF, as there are competing options out there, but those are some way back from market. If it doesn’t move on display quality in the short term then it could look like a serious laggard. If it does then the Retina could be the standout display on the market.
And that brings us to the big complication. Samsung Ventures are an investor in Nanosys, so QDEF could bring further complexity to the Apple, Samsung relationship. More than that though, as I mentioned above, Samsung has now launched an LCD version of the S4. Popped up with QDEF technology, it is going to be considerably enhanced by the end of the year, leaving the iPhone in its trail unless Apple acts quickly. Having said that, there’s no reason why this technology should not put Apple back on top, with an awesome display, great color experience and an OS to do it justice. LINK
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