Remember that 31.5-inch IGZO 4K display we saw at CES 2013 weeks ago? It was utterly amazing in sharpness and performance. And, thanks to the IGZO technology, it was amazingly power efficient because the screen doesn't continuously refresh static images.
As previously reported, the display has a 3840 x 2160 resolution, support for 10-point multi-touch input, and a thin design at just 35-mm. The unit on display was a mere prototype, but the company said that it planned to launch the PN-K321 in Japan next month.
The Sharp rep at CES didn't say when or if the panel would arrive in the consumer sector, as there needs to be a market for such an expensive device. However there are plans to launch the PN-K321 for the business market here in the States later this year. It will supposedly cost 450,000 yen, or around $5,500 USD, making it quite an expensive buy for a 31.5-inch panel.
According to Sharp, IGZO's transistors are much smaller than traditional LCDs thanks to significantly higher electron mobility. Because of this, more data can be shown in a single display. The tech has also drastically minimized the noise caused during touch input, thus allowing for quick, easy, more natural-feeling writing and smooth lines.
"IGZO can maintain the onscreen data for a certain period of time without refreshing the data, even when the current is off. This helps cut back the power consumption to achieve longer battery life for mobile displays," the company said.
We expect to hear more about this panel's North American release within the next few months.
