The e-paper market is about to explode

Those who want to read their favorite magazines or Harry Potter books in digital form will soon get a flexible alternative to hard-dry computers.

A group of companies is developing a new generation of ultra-thin screens, also known as e-paper, without the need for additional lights, with many advantages over LCDs.

Unlike liquid crystal displays, when the power is turned off, the electronic paper screen remains unchanged. With thin steel plate with circuit system, then an electronic ink, electronic paper has been on the market with portable electronic paper products. Accordingly, one can download hundreds of books into this device via the Internet and appropriate mobile phones.

The bright future of this product has attracted investors especially when the big screen manufacturer is having trouble. Traditional LCD screens are for computers and flat-screen TVs are not flexible because they use lights to project images. Meanwhile, electronic paper uses plastic substrate, so it is very flexible.

Plastic Logic plans to go into e-paper production next year. And Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and LG.Philips LCD Co. Ltd., two dominant players in the large LCD market, have embarked on this work since last month.

The idea of ​​digital paper has appeared for many years and is about to become a reality. However, until recently, many developers have released an e-paper template and it will take some time before the market for this product heats up. " The most difficult thing is that people have to develop a lot of raw materials, so it must be 3 years before the market takes off ," said Kevin Liao, an analyst with DisplaySearch, a market research firm.

According to DisplaySearch, global revenue from electronic paper is expected to reach US $ 3-5 million this year, much smaller than the US $ 74 billion of LCD screens. However, in 2010, revenue from e-paper can reach 766 million USD.

K.Linh