Sharp announces ultra thin 2.2-inch QVGA mobile LCD

Hitachi may have the thinnest production LCD but it’s a lard butt compared with Sharp’s 2.2-inch mobile LCD that’s a mere .68mm
thick.Sharp has launched today the “industry’s thinnest” mobile display. We’ve known this ultrat hin wonder was coming since April, and is very nice to see how plans pull together and materialise.Nevertheless, this wee unit measures in just 0.01-millimeters thinner than a 1.9-inch version that AU Optronics was touting earlier this week (that’s 0.69-millimeters for those keeping score).

For an LCD the stats aren’t even horrible. You get a 2000:1 contrast ratio, eight-millisecond response time( that should be suitable for mobile TV viewing) and 176-degree viewing angle in this 240×320 (QVGA) display. Intended for use in one-seg terrestrial broadcast, we’re just a bit confused. Why even challenge OLED in the mobile market?OLED has lightning response times (reports of < 0.01ms), viewing angles with nearly no color fallout and contrast ratios as high as the eye can see (Sony’s new 11-incher claims 1000000:1). We don’t have any problem with Sharp launching a .68mm-thin 60″ TV, but I think that we all agreed that we’ll go with OLED. So why bother?

Unfortunately, there’s no sign of an actual release date, but those browsing the aisles at FPD International 2007 can reportedly catch it up close and in person.

Tags: sharp, lcd, small. mobile display, ultrathin, AU Optronics