Zero power display market starts to light up

TECHNOLOGY for bi-stable displays which can sustain images without eating power are beginning to become a reality, a report from market research firm iSuppli said.

The technology covers electrophoretic, electrochromic, LCDs and others, the firm said, and competetion between bi-stable and low power LCDs is set to take off.

The firm predicts that shipments will reach 350 millions in 2012, up from only 29 million this year.

However, for notebooks, low power LCDs will continue to dominate because of the need for fast response time and full colour, features that bi-stable displays don't yet have.

Isuppli estimates that the market for low power LCDs and OLED displays will be worth $24 billion by 2012, a rise from $6 billion this year. µ