OLED touchscreen?

[Bartmanekul]

What with the sudden wow about OLED screens, and Nokias upcoming touch devices, I want to know how feasible it is having both.

Forgetting the image quality bonuses for a moment, the power saving would be huge, since the large screen on a touchscreen phone is the main drain of power.

So for anyone in the know, is OLED just as easy to have as a touchscreen as LCD?

Would be nice if we saw a N series OLED touchscreen device...

[Moz]

Yes it would be possible. As touch screen is a small " sheet" that lies over the top of the LCD and is connected to the main board. The LCD still works independently to the touch screen part.


A touch screen has already been bade. See Samsung K-5

[Logan]

This is kind of my biggest worry with upgrading this side of Xmas, to the N85, knowing Nokia will no doubt throw out an OLED touch screen super smart phone next year. I figure if it happens early enough, I'll flog the N85 if a more tasty Nokia model arrives and buy it sim free.

[Bartmanekul]

Originally Posted by IJM

Yes it would be possible. As touch screen is a small " sheet" that lies over the top of the LCD and is connected to the main board. The LCD still works independently to the touch screen part.


A touch screen has already been bade. See Samsung K-5

Yeah, I know about that (thought about getting one of those ones you can buy for a monitor once) Im just wondering if OLED was anymore fragile, and needed to be kept further away from such prodding. But I suppose you never actually touch the LCDs anyway.

If they do bring it into touchscreen devices, it should be really impressive.

IMO, apple should be worried. No-one will ever crack into Apples hardcore of users, they stay apple only no matter what, but it could certainly bite into sales.

Logan, I say go for it.

I must admit, looking at the 5800 specs and reviews, is the first time I have ever been interested in a touchscreen.

Camera puts me off though, and given its a touchscreen, I cant ever see Nokia giving it a lens cover even though we can be sure they will put 5mp+ cams on future ones.

And a lens cover is one requirement Im not compromising on.

[dumwaldo]

OLED technology is able to produce a thinner screen than a traditional LCD screen so it is actually a better technology for creating a touchscreen because it can be made thinner than a traditional touchscreen.

Aside from the Samsung K5 there is also the Cowon S9 that is set to be released next month with a 3.3" OLED touchscreen display.

From what I can tell by reading around the net, the reason why many manufacturers have stayed away from OLED is three fold.

For starters, OLED screens are very poor performers under direct sunlight. There is no backlight so there is nothing to 'balance' the light coming in. The result is a screen that looks blank or is barely visible in direct sunlight.

Another reason is the limited availability. Including an OLED display is agreeing to production restraints. there is a very limited number of these screens available and that would keep production numbers low even if the phone because super popular and the most in demand phone ever.

The last reason is simply cost. OLED's are more expensive than LCD's and that means a higher product cost. Look at the price tag on the N85.

[Bartmanekul]

I heard about the sunlight thing, some say its better, some say its worse. Much more say its worse, so Im inclined to beleive them.

You can only assume OLED is going to be ramped up in production, though your right, and obviously LCD is way ahead in production amounts.

I thought the cost of the N85 was reasonable, considering what it packed in it.