I want TCL NXTPAPER display tech on my next phone

Last 12 months, at CES 2023, I received my first take a look at a phone known as the TCL NXTPAPER Phone Concept. The idea took the NXTPAPER display tech from TCL’s tablets and introduced it to an Android smartphone for the primary time. Although the phone itself wasn’t terribly thrilling total, the thought of getting a smartphone display appear and feel like a Kindle display was novel and thrilling.

As its title suggests, although, this idea wasn’t destined to hit the market. But TCL finally did roll out business smartphones with the identical expertise. Now, one 12 months later, the corporate has rolled out NXTPAPER 3.0, which can debut with the TCL 50 sequence. I had some hands-on time with the line-up at CES 2024, and I’ve gotta admit: I formally want my next phone to have a NXTPAPER display screen.

If you’ve by no means touched a NXTPAPER phone or pill, it may be tough to think about the way it feels. The NXTPAPER title is suitable, because it does really feel loads like paper. It’s clean however has a noticeable texture that your finger simply glides throughout. To get an concept of what it’s like, run your finger down the size of your smartphone’s uncovered display. Notice how the glossiness of the glass creates a slight resistance because the oils in your pores and skin persist with it? Imagine that not taking place, and that’s what NXTPAPER appears like.

The downside with the unique idea phone, although, wasn’t the feel — it was that the display was extremely dim. Not solely did this make seeing display content material difficult, however it additionally left colours wanting boring and light. NXTPAPER 2.0, which launched on the TCL 40 sequence, was a bit brighter and extra colourful however nonetheless simply not practically pretty much as good as a “normal” phone.

NXTPAPER 3.0 lastly brings the tech to a degree I would name prepared for primetime. It’s a lot brighter than the unique idea phone and way more colourful than any NXTPAPER 2.0 phone. Now, it may possibly comfortably sit on a shelf next to a typical smartphone and maintain its personal.

There are three the reason why I really feel a NXTPAPER display is superior to a typical shiny one.

The first and most essential one is fingerprints. Have you ever rubbed your smartphone on your shirt to wipe off the grease and dirt left by your filthy fingers? Of course, you have got — should you’re like me, you do it a number of instances every week. But NXTPAPER shows don’t entice fingerprints practically as a lot as a typical smartphone. That means much less shirt wiping, which is a large win in my guide.

The second motive to like NXTPAPER is that it makes viewing the phone in vibrant conditions significantly better. When the solar or a really vibrant mild hits a normal smartphone display screen, it turns into a mirror. Unless you have got a phone with an extremely vibrant display, you’ll have issue seeing what you’re doing. NXTPAPER doesn’t have this downside, although, as a result of that matte display doesn’t turn out to be so reflective.

Finally, the third motive I love NXTPAPER is that it’s simpler on the eyes. The matte display blocks out lots of blue mild, which has been linked to the event of imaginative and prescient issues. With the period of time I spend taking a look at screens on any given day, any blue mild filtering I can get is terrific.

While I actually, actually respect these elements of TCL’s NXTPAPER tech, it does have some main caveats.

NXTPAPER may be nice, however it’s removed from excellent. The first disadvantage is that it’s LCD tech. You gained’t discover any matte OLED shows in TCL’s portfolio, which is a sacrifice for these of us who’re used to OLED’s deep blacks and power-saving effectivity.

Also, regardless of the admirable developments TCL has made with the tech, it’s nonetheless not as vibrant or colourful as a typical mid-range phone display, to say nothing of the blinding radiance you’ll get from one thing just like the Pixel 8 Pro, which has an unbelievable peak brightness of two,400 nits. The proven fact that TCL has gotten so far as it has in only one 12 months makes me looking forward to the longer term, however it’s not even in the identical league at present.

The third and most vital disadvantage to NXTPAPER is TCL itself. TCL doesn’t make premium smartphones. The most premium product within the TCL 50 sequence is firmly a funds phone, most likely touchdown within the $400 vary. So should you want a phone with a NXTPAPER display, it’s good to abandon hope of getting a premium processor, terrific cameras, wi-fi charging, quick wired charging, or any modern-day flagship options.

However, this might characterize a big alternative for TCL.

TCL is primarily a display firm. It is at present the second-largest TV vendor within the United States and has turn out to be a worldwide powerhouse particularly as a result of it controls its personal provide chain. A TCL TV is constituted of the bottom up by TCL.

Smartphones have at all times been a secondary factor for the corporate. It sticks to the funds and mid-range markets as a result of it is aware of it will must step approach out of its consolation zone to even hope to compete with the Samsungs and Apples of the world. Therefore, it’s a bygone conclusion that we’re removed from seeing a TCL phone that would compete with the likes of a Galaxy S23 Ultra.

But what if TCL licensed its display expertise to different manufacturers? If it did, we may lastly get a NXTPAPER display on a premium system.

I don’t suppose we’d ever see this from an organization like Samsung (and its personal Samsung Display sub-division), however Chinese manufacturers would most likely be prepared to present it a shot. OnePlus, for instance, is normally searching for methods to distinguish itself on the market, and NXTPAPER may very well be an effective way to do this. At least on paper.

I’m not holding my breath for that to occur, however I actually want it to. NXTPAPER was one of many coolest issues I noticed at CES. I want it on my next phone, however I don’t want to sacrifice all of the premium options I rely on to get it. I can solely hope that the identical shopper suggestions that pushed TCL to convey NXTPAPER to telephones within the first place can push it to take the next step and make a very superb phone with it.