LG's display subsidiary has announced that it will begin mass producing notebook displays using Advanced In-Cell Touch (AIT) technology. The application of the tech, which does away with the dedicated layer for touch sensors you'll find in more conventional panels, should lead to some of the thinnest and lightest notebooks yet.
We've been seeing notebooks getting thinner and lighter for years now, and with the introduction of slimline USB Type-C, the trend is set to continue. LG's latest innovation focuses on the other half of the equation, introducing tech that allows for the shedding of vital thickness and weight from laptop displays.
So what makes AIT panels special? Well, the technology actually embeds the touch sensor within the LCD panel, eliminating the requirement for a second component on top of the screen itself. Compared to a conventional touch-enabled 1080p panel, the new AIT displays are 1 mm (0.04 in) thinner and 200 g (0.44 lbs) lighter. The second of those stats accounts for a pretty significant 35 percent reduction in panel weight.
According to LG Display, AIT panels also offer a better viewing experience, with the removal of the dedicated touch layer leading to zero light loss and lower levels of reflection.
We've seen the technology in the company's flagship G4 smartphone (where we thought its display was its best feature), but this is the first time we'll see much larger AIT panels. LG has already made agreements with several unnamed notebook makers to produce both 14 and 15.6-inch AIT panels.
It also plans to make active stylus-compatible AIT displays, which is good news for fans of two-in-one Windows machines. Production is set to begin in the second half of this year.
Source: LG