It’s a common problem – seeing the cell phone display in direct sunlight. But Qualcomm
MEMS Technologies is offering a new display technology to change that.

It’s unlikely to completely upset the cell phone industry, but Qualcomm MEMS Technologies (QMT) is going to try anyway, with no small thanks to butterflies.

What QMT developed is a low-power display technology called interferometric modulation (IMOD), based on micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) technology. It initially was conceived by Mark Miles, who founded Iridigm Display and now serves as an outside consultant to QMT, which acquired Iridigm in 2004. As legend has it, Miles first noticed the phenomenon in nature. The bright colors of some types of butterflies are not caused by pigment but by the way the wings reflect light. Microscopic structures on the wings actually cause interference with light, thus producing the vibrant colors. The same thing happens with the feathers of peacocks.

QMT is not yet incorporating the colors into its product, but that’s on the roadmap. For now, as demonstrated to media and others at the CTIA Wireless Enterprise & Entertainment show last month, the technology can make it easier to view basic cell phone screens in bright light. But the other big benefit is low power consumption, which means consumers can use their devices for longer periods of time and therefore drive ARPU for the operators, says James Cathey, vice president of business development at QMT.

GETTING INTO DEVICES
The company already has made inroads. It is collaborating with China’s Hisense Communications to bring to market mobile phones with the Qualcomm MEMS displays. Starting next year, Hisense phones will include the technology. QMT also is teaming up with portable consumer device developer Ubixon and Audiovox Accessories on the Acoustic Research ARWH1 Bluetooth headset featuring the IMOD display. That product is shipping in time for this holiday season, with a suggested price of $99.99.

The Acoustic Research ARWH1 headset from Audiovox is the first product to feature an interferometric modulation (IMOD) display from Qualcomm.

QMT executives stress that good things come in time. “This is the beginning and it takes time to bring these new technologies to market,” Cathey says. Qualcomm is wise in taking its time; going from zero to high volume displays in a short time is risky, says Chris Chinnock, president of Insight Media, which focuses on the display industry. “You want to start small,” he says.

QMT is entering a space dominated by liquid crystal displays (LCDs), with formidable competitors like Samsung and Sharp. There are also OLED, or organic light-emitting-diode displays, and some other alternative displays in early phases, similar to where QMT is, Chinnock says. In a white paper, Qualcomm itself compares IMOD with today’s prevailing display technologies, including LCD, OLED, electrophoretic (EPD) and cholesteric liquid-crystal (ChLCDs).

But given the number of cell phones sold every year, even a fraction of the market would seem to pay off. For most display companies, 10,000 or 100,000 products a month are decent numbers, but considering the millions of cell phones being manufactured every month, “it doesn’t take a lot of penetration for Qualcomm to be successful in the cell phone market,” Chinnock says.

The upsides to QMT’s technology are the low power consumption and usability outdoors, but that also means the display is affected when there is no light, he says. That’s why QMT also developed a front light for the deployment of the technology.

Replicating a phenomenon found in nature, Qualcomm’s IMOD makes displays easier to read in sunlight.

USER BEHAVIOR
Research firm iGR conducted focus groups for QMT and discovered a lot of people try to cover the phone’s display with their hands when they’re outside to see who’s calling. Or, they ignore a voice call or delay responding to an SMS until they’re in a shaded area. Because they can’t see what’s on the screen, they modify their behavior, says Iain Gillott, president of iGR.

Asked if they alter their handset usage to extend the battery life, about 40% of participants said they turn off the phone, disable Bluetooth or take some other action. “We’ve got an educated base of users who have worked out how to get the best out of their handsets,” Gillott says. “They know you can’t see it outside, or they know the battery will go dead, so they limit the use of the features… Anything you can do to make it better to view outside or extend the battery life is good.”

Although the technology could be incorporated into bigger displays, QMT is focused on smaller form factors, such as cell phones, where the real value comes out in battery savings. That’s becoming more of an issue as more features are added.

The screen on mobile devices is one of the big power users, and high-bandwidth applications such as music, video and texting end up using even more battery power. Bigger batteries are out of the question, so other modifications need to be made. With a better low-power display, consumers will play games, look at video and generally use their phones more, sending more revenue to the carriers, Gillott notes.

The core of an interferometric modulator (IMOD) display.

For roughly a decade, engineers have been working to create a display technology capable of providing a paper-like reading experience with regards to viewability, cost, power and ease of manufacture, according to Qualcomm’s white paper. The company says IMOD displays offer an always-on display experience, with paper-like readability in almost any ambient conditions.

What’s exciting for QMT Director of Engineering Brian Gally, a former Iridigm engineer who helped guide IMOD in earlier years, is seeing the technology finally come to market. A lot of innovative technologies never get commercialized. Hooking up with Qualcomm, an early investor in IMOD with a long history in intellectual property rights, helped bring the technology to reality. This year, consumers for the first time will be able to buy products with the IMOD display. “It will be a very good Christmas,” he says.