Philips Launches Thinnest Clamshell Handset Design

Philips Electronics has unveiled its newest display solution for the camera-phone market. The world's thinnest "flip-top" for a clamshell-style phone, this new module features a colour main display, a colour super-twisted nematic (CSTN) sub-display and a VGA camera. The new module incorporates a 1.9-inch, 176 x 220 TFT display, as well as a 1.3-inch, 98 x 65 CSTN sub-display for the "flip" side of the phone. It also features a removable cosmetic front cover that allows end users to choose different design/color covers that best suit their personal style -- all the while adding flexibility to the design without sacrificing its extreme thinness.

Including the cosmetic cover, this module is less than 6.8 mm thick, yet still maintains high mechanical and electrical integrity. In addition, the module's state-of-the-art, low-height VGA camera enables high-quality image capture.

"With the recent explosion of the camera-phone market, our OEM customers have found themselves in need of integration-ready modules that will allow them to get their products on the market quickly, without sacrificing quality," noted Harold Hoskens, senior vice president and general manager of Philips' Mobile Display Systems business unit. "Our latest module for the camera-phone market complements our existing portfolio of cutting-edge camera modules, offering telecom manufacturers a variety of full solutions based on their product needs. We are committed to playing a key role in fueling the growth of this segment -- a market that analysts expect will reach 100 million units in sales by 2004."

Philips' new display module also features an ambient-light-dependent, dual-sided backlight for illumination of both the main and sub-display, as well as a high-performance polyphonic speaker, receiver and vibra-motor. It also incorporates real-time JPEG coding -- ideal for camera phones and the state-of-the art 2D graphics hardware necessary for cell phone gaming and fast menu access, such as immediate image rotation. The module has a single digital host interface and can be used to easily upgrade existing cell-phone platforms with camera and graphics functions. And, the module offers a high frame rate viewfinder -- allowing the end user to immediately view the picture and move the camera around without motion effects.

Philips' newest display solution is expected to be available for integration into mobile phones in Q3 2004."

Posted to the site on 4th November 2003