Most smartphone users are painfully aware of the battery power it takes to run a big and bright LCD screen.
Another downside to a glossy LCD screen? The display can be very difficult to read when outdoors because of the massive glare.
One of the biggest advantages to E Ink screens – most typically found powering E readers – is that they are perfect for viewing outdoors and have no glare. The displays also sip a relatively small amount of power, allowing the device to run for weeks at a time.
So I was definitely excited to learn that certain future smartphones may be equipped with both screen types for the best of both worlds.
Indeed, E Ink recently showcased a rather interesting smartphone design that featured a full-color LCD screen on one side and an E Ink display on the other. Essentially, you can use the full-color and glossy LCD for watching videos or browsing the web. Want to browse e-mails or pore over your favorite book? Well, simply flip the device over and check out the E Ink screen.
Being able to keep that power sucking LCD turned off when using the low power sipping E Ink display would definitely be a popular option among many smartphone users. Fortunately, there are reports that at least one smartphone manufacturer is working on a device that would boast both E Ink and LCD screens. Personally, I would love to see the very same concept implemented with a tablet. Can you imagine that?
