Sharp develops a 3D display for hand-held devices

Sharp is soon hoping to put 3D technology in all of our pockets, as the Japanese manufacturer recently announced it has successfully developed a 3D display for mobile devices that doesn’t require users to wear special glasses.

It seems that 3D is set to be the next big thing, and over the coming years it’s set to be a major area of development (and a major money spinner) for TV and screen manufacturers. With 3D technology now heading for mobile phones, it seems that no device with a screen is safe from the 3D revolution.

However, unlike the TVs of the not-too-distant future, you won’t need to kit yourself out with a pair of special glasses to use your 3D mobile phone. And to be honest, that’s probably for the best, as you’d look a bit daft whipping out your 3D specs on the bus.

Sharp claims it will now be able to make both regular and touch-sensitive pocket-sized 3D screens. The manufacturer has apparently been developing this technology for several years and has succeeded in improving performance to such an extent that it is now ready to begin marketing its screens in commercial products. In fact, Sharp is said to have already signed an agreement with a mobile phone manufacturer and it recently showcased a new 3.4-inch screen that can switch from 2D to 3D (see photo).

This June, Nintendo is due to present a new DS console with 3D screens at the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Sharp, however, would not comment on whether or not Nintendo would be using its technology to do this. In any case, neither Sharp nor Nintendo will be the first manufacturer to integrate a no-glasses 3D screen into a portable device, since one can already be found on the Fujifilm W1 stereoscopic camera, which launched last autumn.

Sharp is confident that within a few years’ time all mobile phones will have 3D screens. It doesn’t end there though, as the manufacturer is ready and waiting to kit out each and every one of our handheld devices with 3D technology.

It remains to be seen whether 3D will really take off, but those who don’t jump on the bandwagon, it seems, could end up being left out of a very profitable market.

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