Samsung announces an OLED screen with a definition 30 times larger than Apple’s Retina

4K, 8K … Apparently, the screen resolution still has a lot of room to grow. Samsung and Stanford University, USA, have announced a new OLED panel that achieves a dot density of 10,000 dpi (dots per inch). The number makes a cell phone screen look like a tube TV. For comparison, the Screen Retina on the iPhone 4 had “modest” 326 dpi, while the new iPhone 12 Pro Max uses a 458 dpi component.

Not even the best-definition screen phone on the market, the Sony Xperia 1 II, comes close to value. The 4K resolution on the device’s 6.5-inch OLED panel results in a density of “only” 643 pixels per inch.

According to those responsible for the new component, in the simulations, the dot density reached 20,000 dpi. Before that, however, the brightness level starts to be affected by the size of the dots on the screen.

Less virtual reality

Scientists responsible for the new panel, announced on the journal’s website Science, believe that the component can be used in virtual reality systems. Because they are very close to the eyes, the screens used in helmets require a high dot density.

Low definition helmets cause the so-called “door screen effect” (mosquito net effect or mosquito net effect), which occurs when you can see the divisions between the pixels. Furthermore, higher image definition in VR systems increases the feeling of immersion, although the dot density mentioned by Samsung is not necessary.

The new panel works with overlapping layers of slightly more complex materials than the current ones. An OLED film emits white light between two reflective layers, one of which is filled with microscopic columns, with a concentration of 10,000 per inch.

Each of these pillars of light is divided into four subpixels, capable of reflecting a specific color: blue, red or green, the latter having two subpixels. When light passes through the second reflective layer, the researchers say it carries twice the luminescence efficiency (amount of light) of traditional OLED screens, in addition to purer colors.

It is too early to imagine a component of the type used in home applications, because more complicated than bringing the screen to market would be processing the graphics to power it. For reference, the 6K screen of the Apple Pro Display XDR has a density of 218 dpi and requires a high-end video card, in the range of R $ 6,000, to run games at an acceptable speed. So it’s best not to bet on seeing the technology in stores anytime soon.

Source: IEEE Spectrum