MOBILE PHONE chip specialist, Qualcomm, has decided that diversification into other areas of handset technology might be a good idea. So it's picked handset displays.

The company appears to have created a new division which seems to be called MEMS Technologies. The dual objectives for MEMS will be to reducing the power consumed by a handset's display and to increase screen visibility even in bright sunlight.

Qualcomm says these 'mirasol' style displays have so far been offered only by smartphone vendors and the intention now is to move the technology down the 'food chain' to regular and entry-level handsets.

At the heart of this move is a technique known as interferometic modulation – or IMOD – which mimics nature's butterflies to produce vibrant colours.

The company is being mysterious about the exact nature of its contribution towards the development of IMOD handset screens but does say that two significant new relationships will be announced at the forthcoming MCW show in Barcelona.

Given that there many possible potential partners amongst mobile phone handset screen vendors, it is impossible to predict who has already jumped into bed with Qualcomm. µ