IT Brief New Zealand - Technology news for CIOs & IT decision-makers
See-through smartphone vision to become reality
Tue, 19th Feb 2013
FYI, this story is more than a year old

If Polytron Technologies can pull it off, your next smartphone later this year will be transparent.

The Taiwan-based company says it is close to releasing a multi-touch product which will use conductive OLED liquid crystal molecules to display images.

For regular folk, that essentially means a see-through phone which will light up when touched. Pretty cool ay?

When switched off or in standby mode, the molecules will apparently combine yo form a milky composition, coming alive when the power is activated.

Carrying an electric current through a host of transparent wires crammed into the smartphone shaped device, the product will revolutionise the mobile market - leaving Apple and Samsung scratching their heads in disbelief.

"It will happen near the end of 2013. Trust me," says Sam Yu, GM, Polytron.

Mobile Geeks posted a video demonstrating the prototype, check it out below:

We asked Kiwis for their thoughts on technologies latest invention, with positive reviews all round.

"It's genius, absolute genius," says Auckland student Leanne Stewart.

"I'd genuinely be scared to use it but the idea of it sounds fantastic," agrees Craig Witts, a Wellington-based building surveyor.

"When can we get our hands on one" says Aucklander Paul Williams, summing up positive public opinion regarding the release.

But while the product still remains in the early stages of development, the futuristic-looking prototype already looks set to be embroiled in a battle with the leading handset markers in the market.

"All handset makers are looking to work with us. The technology is mature," Yu told Macworld.

So with the see-through smartphone a nailed on certainty for 2013, the big question seems to be who which maker will get their hands on it first, and exploit the limited production line around the world?

Transparent smartphones, are they your cup of tea? Which handset maker will win the battle to work with Polytron? Tell us your thoughts below