Qualcomm axes its own Mirasol production, will only bring some devices to market itse

[charlesatan]

http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/q...ol-production/

Talk about flying under the radar. While everyone's focus on Qualcomm's results last week centered on the mobile chip business going gangbusters, the company quietly revealed during its fiscal results call that it's backing out of producing Mirasol displays itself. CEO Paul Jacobs instead wants the company licensing out the butterfly-inspired screens to interested companies and will limit its direct commercialization to "certain" devices.

Oh well, there goes the colored alternative to e-ink for now...

[teh603]

Could also be legal issues related to the current patent warfare that's been going on. They might have decided to just sit on things until the climate settles down a bit.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by teh603

Could also be legal issues related to the current patent warfare that's been going on. They might have decided to just sit on things until the climate settles down a bit.

Apparently it is manufacturing issues:
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...rasol-ereader/

Their yields are too low so they can't make enough for high profile customers and the low yields makes the price of the panels too high anyway.

They are willing to license the designs in case somebody else thinks they can do better but they were building a state of the art plant themselves so the odds that somebody can do better anytime soon don't look good.

[6charlong]

Or there might be something to the persistent rumors that the new Nook tablet will come with a mirasol display.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

Or there might be something to the persistent rumors that the new Nook tablet will come with a mirasol display.

Something? Sure: wishful thinking.

Have you seen the reviews and videos of current Mirasol tech?
(Like the Kyobo reader.)
Barely adequate for ebooks, totally unsuited for tablet use.

More, who is going to *build* the panels?

Qualcomm is getting over their Mirasol dreams, B&N fans should, too.

[nesler]

The Kyobo went over like a lead balloon. Whatever advantage the tech had over LED displays dissipated over the intervening decade.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by nesler

The Kyobo went over like a lead balloon. Whatever advantage the tech had over LED displays dissipated over the intervening decade.

The question remains if this was because of the technology (the screen itself was really not that bad for a first generation) or the price and design. It was a really heavy and ugly device, not upgradable to ICS, had to be hacked to get Android market access and English menus, had a very slow processor and not enough memory. A half baked attempt for a high price fell flat. Not really a verdict on the display technology. Just a victim of the relentless downward drive in prices. The focus on low priced devices means that new technologies never get a chance.

It is rather sad, I am still looking for the elusive all-in-one device. LED displays, no matter how high the resolution, how good the quality, or how I adjust screen brightness, are still not very comfortable to read on. Something better for newspapers, magazines, and general browsing would be great.

The market has spoken, but the market doesn't always pick the superior product. I personally would gladly spend $300-350 to get a device similar to the Nexus 7, but with a Mirasol screen. Obviously, most people wouldn't. If you don't plan to use the device for extended reading (but rather as a video and browsing device) then it makes no sense at all to shell out more money for a new screen technology. As for the current Nexus 7, well I will just keep on using my Touchpad, thank you.

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Something? Sure: wishful thinking.

Have you seen the reviews and videos of current Mirasol tech?
(Like the Kyobo reader.)
Barely adequate for ebooks, totally unsuited for tablet use.

More, who is going to *build* the panels?

Qualcomm is getting over their Mirasol dreams, B&N fans should, too.

I only caught this review and video on PC World Magazine. It looked pretty good but I suppose that's how demos are supposed to.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/25941...ex_h_cbstories

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

The focus on low priced devices means that new technologies never get a chance.

It's not just an issue in low price segments; it is also an issue with expensive products.

SED displays, for one, are clearly better than LCD in some ways and clearly better than plasma in others. The tech works reliably and safely.
But the lawsuit delayed its introduction and by then they were never able to get their manufacturing costs to where a product could be sold at a price that would sustain a volume high enough to justify the investment in the manufacturing facility.

Mirasol faces a similar problem.
No doubt there is a market for a Mirasol android device (with better cpu and firmware than the Kyobo) but not at a price/volume that can justify devoting Qualcomm's fabled billion-dollar manufacturing facility.

The numbers just don't add up.

OLED is another display tech on the fringes of viability; it is ramping up for small screen sizes in mobile devices but getting the economics working for bigger, living room-friendly sizes is no sure thing. With prices in the US$10,000 range for a 55in model vs US$1000-2000 for LCD and plasma, building volume is going to take years. And there is no telling how much better LCD and PDP can get in that time.

Getting the tech working is often the easy part; getting the engineering economics right is more often than not a bear.