Staying Alive

Samsung Develops Technology to Improve Mobile Phone Display in Bright Sunlight

When the sun shines, mobile phone users frequently end up seeking out shade to see what’s on their display, but new technology from South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co. could help solve that problem.

The technology giant, a leading maker of displays, said Wednesday it has developed a device to sense the brightness of ambient light and adjust the image so viewers can see what’s being shown more easily while outdoors. When indoors, the sensor dims the display’s backlight to save power.

Samsung said it would begin mass production of the new driver for mobile displays by the end of the year.

The company estimates the market for such mobile display driver chips will increase from 1.6 billion units this year to 2.3 billion units in 2009 due to the proliferation of mobile phones, MP3 players and other portable electronics.