Not the transparency we need, but the transparency we want - International Samsung Patent shows Transparent Phone

[rcmaehl]

Summary

A patent filed with the WIPO shows Samsung may be experimenting with transparent phones

 

Media (click to enlarge)

 

Quotes

Quote

If you thought Samsung‘s foldable phone ambitions were wacky, you may want to think again. Patents emerged suggesting a transparent smartphone could be in the works. Each pixel on the phone’s display would allow light to pass through it, effectively rendering the screen transparent. The patents were spotted by Dutch tech blog LetsGoDigital which also provided a mock-up of the device in question. Transparent phones aren’t new. LG had a crack in 2009 with the GD900, but it only featured a transparent keypad. Sony Ericsson followed up with the Xperia Pureness which, to its credit, did feature a transparent display. Samsung has developed transparent OLED displays in the past, but these were mainly used for signage. In a smartphone, where space for hardware is limited, the tech gets a little more complicated. The company would need to find a way of housing the battery and other components so as to not interfere with the transparent display, or somehow, make those elements transparent too. It’s a problem that was demonstrated by Taiwanese firm Polytron Technologies‘ transparent phone in 2013. These patents rarely develop into mainstream devices, so don’t expect Samsung to launch a transparent Galaxy S or Note series shortly

 

My thoughts

Are people running into things that often that we need transparent phones?  Do we want to people to see our face randomly reacting to invisible content through a phone cut out? Or even worse, depending on the tech used, to be able to see the content on your screen like banking? Regardless, this is an amazing patent but doesn't really have a use unlike folding phones and other phone changes.

 

Sources

World Intellectual Property Organization

Android Authority (quote source)
Lets Go Digital (non-English)

[Drama Lama]

12 minutes ago, rcmaehl said:

Samsung may be experimenting with transparent devices.

Wouldn’t be the first time a company tries transparent and or flexible displays

 

but still thanks for the news 

Edited September 9, 2020 by Drama Lama

[Quinnell]

I think this is fascinating but I'm not sure of the practical uses of a transparent mobile device.  Might be more useful in larger fixed displays in certain scenarios though.

[rcmaehl]

3 minutes ago, gabrielcarvfer said:

I can imagine the conversation that led to this:

PM: - How do we make the contrast even worse?

Engineer 1: - Reduce the backlight?

PM: - Nah, make it completely transparent.

 

I dunno. Edge lighting might look pretty sweet if implemented right

[RejZoR]

Why would you want to see crap through? Isn't it enough that screens are reflective like crazy, now you want to make them transparent. I don't want to see my hand through. This is silly. Only reason you'd want it transparent is for glasses/goggles or as heads-up display in a car or something.

[paddy-stone]

Seems pointless really, the phone still will have to have the electronics, battery and heatsink/vapour chamber, so there's not gonna be much you'd be able to see through.

I would love it if we ever did get to the point where the phones are basically crystal-like, such as phones in sci-fi, but think we are a hell of a long way off from that,

[Helpful Tech Witch]

Maybe this could be used for a clear screen on top, and a not clear screen on the bottom, for multitasking.

[williamcll]

Oh yeah they've been testing this concept for awhile already 

 

[rcmaehl]

14 minutes ago, williamcll said:

Oh yeah they've been testing this concept for awhile already 

 

While the S5 will release this year

 

Christ

 

To be fair they were testing folding phones in 2013...

 

 

[wanderingfool2]

50 minutes ago, Quinnell said:

I think this is fascinating but I'm not sure of the practical uses of a transparent mobile device.  Might be more useful in larger fixed displays in certain scenarios though.

Definitely fascinating, and I think it could garner more practical uses over time (as apps become aware of transparent displays).  e.g. imagine texting and being able to see where you are stepping (there are already apps that do it via the camera but this would be more practical).  Depending how well the blackout effect works, I could actually see this being a lot easier to read text on a bright sunny day.  Instead of the screen having to light the "white" pixels to a crazy brightness to see a screen on a really sunny day, just blocking out the black would let you have a really high contrast (since the brightness would be the objects behind it)...all speculation though.

 

I could see there being a market for this, and hope that the technology really improves (car windows that can have a moving sun visor and heads up displays while driving comes to mind)

[BuckGup]

You would just see all the shit inside lol

[rcmaehl]

57 minutes ago, BuckGup said:

You would just see all the shit inside lol

Nah, it'd probably return of the bottom bezel

 

[Salv8 (sam)]

and thats another another reason for why i am still sticking with my nexus 5x, come on guys, i have to many reasons not to upgrade my phone!

[Bombastinator]

Would need more than a transparent screen.  Transparent battery and transparent pcb would be required too.  They might get away with transparent battery and a bezel to cover the pcb.  I suspect someone saw “glass battery” and got the wrong idea.

[Doobeedoo]

It will be fun to see. Seethrough insides.