Smartphones with 2560x1440 screen resolutions are still pretty high-end, but mobile device makers are always looking to one-up each other, and so it should come as no surprise that a mobile display with an even higher resolution was recently introduced.
Sharp has announced a new 5.5-inch 4K display with a resolution of 3840x2160, which works out to be 806 pixels per inch. To compare, the LG G3 has a 5.5-inch 2560x1440 display at 538 ppi, the Samsung Galaxy S6 has a 5.1-inch 2560x1440 display at 577 ppi, and the iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.7-inch display at 401 ppi.
Sharp’s new 5.5-inch 4K display uses its IGZO technology, which the company touts as offering longer battery life than LCD sreens. Sharp says that touch panels with IGZO tech also offer lower noise interference that can lead to smoother touch sensitivity.
Sharp is apparently planning to begin mass production of its new high-res display in 2016, which means that we’re probably a year or so off from seeing this panel in smartphones that are shipping to the public. That’s kind because I’m sure that Sharp’s 5.5-inch 4K display is pretty awesome to look at, but on the other hand, there some folks feel that current 2K 2560x1440 displays aren’t necessary and suck up too much battery life. Here’s to hoping that that battery-focused Google X team can come up with something good and will share it around.
