 LG Display unveils a flexible electronic paper display that is roughly the size of a tabloid newspaper, the largest product of its kind the high-tech industry has ever produced. / Korea Times |
Staff Reporter
LG Display unveiled a flexible electronic display that is roughly the size of a tabloid newspaper, marking the latest advancement in electronic paper technology.
The screen, measuring 25 centimeters by 40 centimeters, is the largest electronic paper display the industry has ever produced, the company said.
The bendable screen is just 0.3 millimeters thick and its size, significantly larger than the conventional 6-inch displays used in e-book readers like Kindle and Nook, opens up new possibilities for the industry, company officials said.
LG Display, the world's second-largest maker of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) behind Samsung Electronics, is looking to get out of the gate early in the electronic paper display movement, planning to start manufacturing 11.5-inch screens during the first half of this year.
"By developing the world's biggest flexible electronic paper display, we've gained a stepping stone for opening a new market in next-generation displays," said Chung In-jae, LG Display's chief technology officer.
"The market for electronic paper is growing rapidly, and we expect to gain ourselves a strong position through our advanced technology and diverse products."
The demand for electronic paper has been rising due to the emergence of e-book readers and similar devices. The next step in the evolution could be to have the flexible electronic screens replace traditional newspapers.
Electronic paper devices could provide readers with an ink-free, LCD-style alternative that is updated regularly with the latest news, complete with video and other multimedia features, similar to how Stephen Spielberg imagined it would be in his film "Minority Report."
In developing its e-newspaper device, LG Display laid out thin-film transistors (TFTs) on a metal foil, instead of the more conventionally-used glass substrate, which allows the display to be flexible. The display only weights 130 grams and is highly power efficient.
thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
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