Qualcomm may be known first and foremost for making the processors that power millions of phones and tablets. But the company also has a display division… and it’s about to get a little bigger.
EE Times reports Qualcomm has acquired display company Pixtronix for about $175 million. Pixtronix is a startup working on MEMS display technology which can offer high contrast ratios, wide viewing angles, and 24-bit color while using a quarter as much power as a typical LCD display.
The displays can also be used without a backlight, cutting power consumption even further and making the screens useful for eReaders or outdoor applications.
Qualcomm has been working on its own Mirasol sunlight readable display technology for years, and the first few products with Mirasol displays are finally starting to ship in China and Korea. It’s likely that the company acquired Pixtronix to find ways to improve future low power, sunlight readable screens for mobile devices.
via CNET