Around this time last year I first heard of something called e-paper during one of my Magazine Publishing lecture. The notion had seemed so far-fetched back then, but it wasn’t without surprise that I realised this is how most people react to technological advances. And even though e-paper was not yet something tangible and only a project, it was interesting how my lecturer and my classmates had no doubt that it would become reality soon enough.
Although it is not on the market yet, the e-paper has been a subject of discussion for quite a while now. One of the earliest articles is a piece from 2011, published on a website called Patently Apple that posts information based on research and not rumours. Back then, Apple was ready to take the first steps towards developing a technology that would make the screens of their devices change their attributes according to the content that was being viewed. Basically, LCD or OLED would be able to switch to e-paper when necessary, which would be easier on the eye. However, recently there have been a lot more posts on the subject. On the same website, it has been posted that Apple’s next big thing will be a digital periodical device with a flexible display – so, in other words, e-paper (Patently Apple, 2014). And the best thing about Apple developing this kind of technology is the fact that it will be open to the public. It will probably be on the pricey side at first, but there will probably be plenty of enthusiasts ready to spend money on this kind of technology.
As far as Apple is concerned, this is something in the making, but there have already been a lot of other prototypes using e-paper. Despite not being open to the public, e-paper is out there, just not advertised as an actual, buyable device would be. There was a Paperphone created in 2011 (Coxworth, 2011), followed by a tab (Quick, 2013, as well as recent smartphone using multiple e-paper displays (Quick, 2013).
The e-reader is already starting to become old news, so perhaps e-paper will be the next big thing as far as digital publishing is concerned. It would be interesting to see how publishers could adapt to it, since some names have always been slower than others when it came to accepting and using new technology. I believe that adverts and newspapers will definitely make use of the e-paper, but it is still unclear if books will be comfortable read on such a platform - provided that it gets released to the public and it is also affordable!
Word count: 436
Bibliography
Apple Insider, (2014). Apple's patented flexible device display triggers data events through bending. [online] Available at: http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/10/07/apples-patented-flexible-device-display-triggers-data-events-through-bending [Accessed 12 Oct. 2014].
Coxworth, B. (2011). [online] Available at: http://www.gizmag.com/thin-film-flexible-paperphone-created/18572/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2014].
Evans, J. (2014). Apple patent reveals ads and ePaper plans. [online] Computer World. Available at: http://www.computerworld.com/article/2692870/apple-patent-reveals-ads-and-epaper-plans.html [Accessed 12 Oct. 2014].
Purcher, J. (2011). Apple Devising Smart Hybrid e-Paper/Video iOS Displays. [online] Patently Apple. Available at: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2011/04/apple-devising-smart-hybrid-e-papervideo-ios-displays.html [Accessed 12 Oct. 2014].
Purcher, J. (2014). Apple Surprises us with an Exciting Invention Revealing a Next Generation Digital Periodical Device using Flexible Displays - Patently Apple. [online] Patently Apple. Available at: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2014/10/apple-surprises-us-with-an-exciting-invention-revealing-a-next-generation-digital-periodical-device-using-flexible-displays.html [Accessed 12 Oct. 2014].
Quick, D. (2014). Shape-shifting PaperFold smartphone joins the fold. [online] Gizmag. Available at: http://www.gizmag.com/paperfold-folding-smartphone/31849/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2014].
Quick, D. (2013). Ultrathin, flexible PaperTab redefines tablet form and function. [online] Gizmag. Available at: http://www.gizmag.com/papertab-flexible-tablet/25680/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2014].
Although it is not on the market yet, the e-paper has been a subject of discussion for quite a while now. One of the earliest articles is a piece from 2011, published on a website called Patently Apple that posts information based on research and not rumours. Back then, Apple was ready to take the first steps towards developing a technology that would make the screens of their devices change their attributes according to the content that was being viewed. Basically, LCD or OLED would be able to switch to e-paper when necessary, which would be easier on the eye. However, recently there have been a lot more posts on the subject. On the same website, it has been posted that Apple’s next big thing will be a digital periodical device with a flexible display – so, in other words, e-paper (Patently Apple, 2014). And the best thing about Apple developing this kind of technology is the fact that it will be open to the public. It will probably be on the pricey side at first, but there will probably be plenty of enthusiasts ready to spend money on this kind of technology.
As far as Apple is concerned, this is something in the making, but there have already been a lot of other prototypes using e-paper. Despite not being open to the public, e-paper is out there, just not advertised as an actual, buyable device would be. There was a Paperphone created in 2011 (Coxworth, 2011), followed by a tab (Quick, 2013, as well as recent smartphone using multiple e-paper displays (Quick, 2013).
The e-reader is already starting to become old news, so perhaps e-paper will be the next big thing as far as digital publishing is concerned. It would be interesting to see how publishers could adapt to it, since some names have always been slower than others when it came to accepting and using new technology. I believe that adverts and newspapers will definitely make use of the e-paper, but it is still unclear if books will be comfortable read on such a platform - provided that it gets released to the public and it is also affordable!
Word count: 436
Bibliography
Apple Insider, (2014). Apple's patented flexible device display triggers data events through bending. [online] Available at: http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/10/07/apples-patented-flexible-device-display-triggers-data-events-through-bending [Accessed 12 Oct. 2014].
Coxworth, B. (2011). [online] Available at: http://www.gizmag.com/thin-film-flexible-paperphone-created/18572/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2014].
Evans, J. (2014). Apple patent reveals ads and ePaper plans. [online] Computer World. Available at: http://www.computerworld.com/article/2692870/apple-patent-reveals-ads-and-epaper-plans.html [Accessed 12 Oct. 2014].
Purcher, J. (2011). Apple Devising Smart Hybrid e-Paper/Video iOS Displays. [online] Patently Apple. Available at: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2011/04/apple-devising-smart-hybrid-e-papervideo-ios-displays.html [Accessed 12 Oct. 2014].
Purcher, J. (2014). Apple Surprises us with an Exciting Invention Revealing a Next Generation Digital Periodical Device using Flexible Displays - Patently Apple. [online] Patently Apple. Available at: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2014/10/apple-surprises-us-with-an-exciting-invention-revealing-a-next-generation-digital-periodical-device-using-flexible-displays.html [Accessed 12 Oct. 2014].
Quick, D. (2014). Shape-shifting PaperFold smartphone joins the fold. [online] Gizmag. Available at: http://www.gizmag.com/paperfold-folding-smartphone/31849/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2014].
Quick, D. (2013). Ultrathin, flexible PaperTab redefines tablet form and function. [online] Gizmag. Available at: http://www.gizmag.com/papertab-flexible-tablet/25680/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2014].