TCL is releasing a new phone later this year with a toggle-able e-ink mode. So you can use it with in full color when you want, and switch to e-ink when you want. It’s in a more conventional aspect ratio so apps will look more “normal”. I can say from experience with my Boox e-reader that a lot of apps do not work well in 4:3.
E ink like mode. It’s not actually e ink it just makes the screen black and white. In the video they talk about how it’s just more of a low power/distraction free mode.
In the CNET video below it looks like a different home screen and everything you launch into, it doesn’t just switch to monochrome and both articles claim massive battery life gains when in eink mode meaning it’s not just LED but curious to know more and keep an eye out
Afaik it’s an LCD that can use more reflected (environment) light and not just it’s own. So yes, high energy savings compared to having the LED background on at full.
Over the decades a few such LCDs were developed by various companies, nifty tech & experience, but the growth of battery capacities allowed for punchier colors of classic background LED LCDs and now OLEDs to dominate.
TCL is releasing a new phone later this year with a toggle-able e-ink mode. So you can use it with in full color when you want, and switch to e-ink when you want. It’s in a more conventional aspect ratio so apps will look more “normal”. I can say from experience with my Boox e-reader that a lot of apps do not work well in 4:3.
https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/6/24335983/tcl-60-xe-nxtpaper-e-ink-specs-ces
Might be my next phone if the CPU and software is not awful (big if).
E ink like mode. It’s not actually e ink it just makes the screen black and white. In the video they talk about how it’s just more of a low power/distraction free mode.
I despise the marketing of these eink-like screens. None of the biggest benefits of eink with all of the biggest drawbacks? The fuck?
In the CNET video below it looks like a different home screen and everything you launch into, it doesn’t just switch to monochrome and both articles claim massive battery life gains when in eink mode meaning it’s not just LED but curious to know more and keep an eye out
Afaik it’s an LCD that can use more reflected (environment) light and not just it’s own. So yes, high energy savings compared to having the LED background on at full.
Over the decades a few such LCDs were developed by various companies, nifty tech & experience, but the growth of battery capacities allowed for punchier colors of classic background LED LCDs and now OLEDs to dominate.
Oh huh. I didn’t know there even was a video. Perhaps my ad/tracker blockers cut it.
Just found a hands-on CNET video: https://www.cnet.com/videos/at-ces-2025-tcl-debuts-new-tcl-60-phone-with-e-ink-display/
Never used TCL’s “Nxtpaper” so not totally sure how it compares.