A Chinese company has developed an E-Ink display that can be attached to a smartphone. Several manufacturers have experimented with adding a secondary e-ink display to modern smartphones as a secondary screen that can be used for low-power tasks or reading. However, these devices have not had much success, despite the benefits of an E-Ink display.
While E Ink displays have not seen much success with smartphones, the e-reader market is still the best bet for devices with an E Ink display. A few manufacturers have also launched monitors with an E-Ink display, some of which are portable. However, there is a chance the smartphone industry may eventually embrace E-Ink if a big-name brand can pull it off. There are reports that Apple may consider a color E-Ink cover display for its first foldable smartphone.
Not many people may have heard of Dasung, but the Chinese company prides itself as the world’s first e-ink monitor manufacturer. For its latest product, Dasung has created a portable E-Ink touch display called Link that can connect wirelessly or over a wired connection to an Android smartphone or an iPhone to serve as a secondary display. A launch video uploaded on the YouTube Channel, the E-Reader Channel (via Gizmodo) reveals that users will be able to use this E-Ink display just like their regular phone screen but with the benefits of an E-Ink display, like reduced eye strain and lower power consumption.
May Not Get A Global Release
The Dasung Link has a 6.7-inch black and white E-Ink display with a 300 PPI, just like Amazon’s 11th Gen Kindle. Connecting to a supported smartphone will replicate the phone’s UI on its screen. In a demo video, it even replicates the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island. The display is housed in an aluminum body about 8mm thick. Along with having touchscreen support, there are also physical buttons on the side of the display. Like a Kindle, it also has a front light that can illuminate the display when it is dark, and users can switch between cold and warm color temperatures.
E-Ink displays are known to have a very low refresh rate, but Dasung says the Link has a Turbo mode that speeds up response time. The display is still best suited for reading books, checking and replying to emails, and texting. Dasung offers the Link in three variants. A wired model has a USB-C connector and works with select phones from Huawei, Samsung, and any phones that support video output over USB, while two wireless models work with iOS or Android. The wireless options have a dock battery cover, with 5,000mAh and 6,800mAh the two battery capacity options, making them thicker than the wired version.
The Link E-Ink Display is already available for pre-order in China, but there is no info on how much it will cost. Also, although Dasung hasn’t said anything about a global release, the possibility of it making it to the US is pretty low, as products like this usually remain exclusive to China. However, those with a compatible smartphone may be able to order it from third-party retailers.
Source: E Reader Channel, Gizmodo