Apple filed a patent describing an hybrid display which would feature both an LCD panel and an e-ink one. Let's start by restating the differences between the two technologies:
- The LCD features excellent color rendering, it is fast and its backlighting allows it to be used in the dark. However, it doesn't look good when there is a lot of light and it needs to be constantly powered to keep the picture displayed, even when it is still, which leads to an important power consumption.
- An e-link display uses ambient light like a piece of paper and is therefore perfectly usable in the sun. ANother advantage is the fact that it only needs power to modify the picture displayed, which is not a lot when reading an ebook for example. It is however quite slow and cannot be used in the dark.
Apple is now trying to bring the best of both worlds in a single display to always have the best compromise in all situation. Much like the system currently installed in the 15 and 17" models of MacBook Pro for the graphics card, the device, iPad or iPhone would be able to switch from one technology to another according to its needs.
From a practical point of view, we could gain a lot of battery lif when reading ebooks or even by surfing on the web, which doesn't always require a fast display.
Of course, it is not sure that the Apple will be able to manufacture such a display at a reasonable cost to integrate it to its devices, but with this patent, no other manufacturer will be able to do it first.
