Mirasol Displays Coming to Smartphones Also

While we had reported that the Mirasol display technology from Qualcomm would be delayed until 2011, we now are learning a little bit more information, in particular that the Mirasol technology would also be headed towards smartphones. Qualcomm is still making the Mirasol displays as we speak, and manufacturers will be receiving the 5.7-inch 220 ppi XGA resolution displays in the fall, with retail products arriving in the first quarter of 2011. According to the company, multiple products will be launching, and those “will be in devices that are converged and look a lot more like a tablet PC than an e-reader.” The company also said that after the launch of Mirasol-powered screens for tablets, smartphone displays will be forthcoming as well, though a definitive time frame was not given.

The benefit of Mirasol display technology is that the display could support video, has low power requirements, and is readable in direct sunlight, and comes in color. Mirasol displays essentially combine the both of existing smartphone color display screens with the longer in-between charges and readability under sunlight of e-ink displays found on e-readers like the Kindle.