Liquid Crystal Displays ("LCD") is a well-established technology invented in 1964. Most common implementations of the technology include Twisted Nematic ("TN"), Super-Twisted Nematic ("STN"), and Film-Compensated Super-Twisted Nematic ("FSTN"). Newer variants building upon LCD technologies include Passive-Matrix Vertically-Aligned ("PMVA") LCDs and Zenith Bi-Stable Displays ("ZBD") offerings.
Thin-Film Transistors ("TFT") are a technology layer added onto LCD products first demonstrated in 1971. This innovation allows separation of the logical and power drive to individual sub-pixels. In TFT Technology, this enables the improvement of panel refresh speed allowing video frame rates and content support. Variants of TFT include vertically-aligned liquid crystal implementations such In-Plane Switching ("IPS") and other competitive technologies ("MVA","AFFS", etc) that allow symmetrical and wide-viewing angle performance.
Organic Light Emitting Diode ("OLED") Displays are light-emitting P-N polymers first implemented in 1987. Passive-Matrix constructions are optimal for lower resolutions and smaller format solutions and use integrated circuit ("IC") display drivers that multiplex both power and logic. Single-color, multi-color, and full-color RGB formats can be supported including video frame rates only limited by the power handling through the IC.
Active-matrix OLED was first implemented in 1999. This technology adds TFT layers onto modified structures of OLED panels to separate the power drive external from the IC. The benefit of this implementation is support for larger formats and high-resolution solutions through higher-efficiency device structure.
Touchscreen technologies first appeared in 1971, but became widespread after 2011 with reductions in production costs and widespread user-interface implementation. Technologies for touchscreens can include force activated touch detection as well as various sensor technologies. The most popular technologies include resistive touchscreen ("RTP") using force activation and capacitive ("CTP","PCAP") touchscreens detecting human finger presence by electromagnetic field disturbances with their respective sensing layers.
Glass lenses have been an instinctive solution for protecting displays in handheld electronics and screen protection lenses have been increasingly popularized since the widespread adoption of projective capacitive touchscreens ("PCAP") specifically. Screen protectors can become a sacrificial layer of protection without disturbing functionality of PCAP touchscreens. Modern implementation include chemically-strengthened solutions with superior durability for permanent or sacrificial protective application.
