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E Ink Displays – how iPhone could use the tech

In a world where smartphone manufacturers are locked in a constant battle to produce the brightest, sharpest, most impressive displays, the comparatively low-tech concept of E Ink “Electronic Paper Displays” is a refreshing one.

Most people have seen E Ink before, on an Amazon Kindle e-reader or supermarket price tags. These displays are great for content that doesn’t move much, and last an absurdly long time because they only require tiny bursts of electricity when the visuals change – like when turning a page.

The main downsides to E Ink are the absence of color, the slow refresh rate, and the lack of a backlight for use in poorly lit areas. But with Apple rumored to be testing out color E Ink displays for a potential foldable iPhone, Macworld’s Jason Snell started thinking about other ways Apple could use the technology.

The obvious use case would be for an always-on screen on the outside of a foldable iPhone, showing basics like the time and notifications without the need to open up the main display. But Apple’s experimentation could lead to E Ink being used elsewhere, like the outside of a closed MacBook or integrated into a smart cover for the iPad.

Be sure to read the full article for more detail and analysis from Jason on this one.