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The progress in mobile components is similar to what happened in the early 2000’s with the PC, with processor, monitor, accessory, memory, graphics and other component manufacturers pushing the limits to make the highest end components for the top-tier PC.
In the processor race, we are starting to see MediaTek and Samsung release octo-core processors, faster than the market can embrace quad-core and now LG has revealed its 5.5-inch 2560×1440 LCD screen panel, right when 1080p is just starting to come to high-end devices.
The new panel completely crushes anything on the market right now and LG has been the company to go to for screen panels, with Sharp and Samsung the only two real competitors. This screen panel has 538ppi, making it impossible to see individual pixels.
Obviously this is still a prototype and it may take LG about a year to implement the technology onto smartphones. Currently, only large monitors and TVs have screens at this resolution, a move in the mobile industry would be big by LG.
Displays are becoming more questionable as companies like LG try to dig deeper to get more pixel density. With the Moto X, the question was does the user want a brilliant display or a modest display with incredible battery life.
LG did not announce how much worse the battery life would become with the 2560×1440 screen, but we can expect a normal 8 hour smartphone with this screen to start hitting 10% before four hours.
The screen panel is also the thinnest panel LG has ever created, at 1.21mm, the South Korean manufacturer beat its own record of 2.2mm. This may be a more important achievement in the long run, with phones always getting thinner.
Some tech analysts are placing bets on when we will see the first 4K tablet or smartphone, it is only a matter of time before some screen manufacturer decides to unleash the new range. With Sharp discussing 8K panels at CES last year, it may be coming soon than we think.
