Most devices nowadays have a display and by association that display will include a number of technologies beneath the surface which are designed to work in harmony for a desired effect. When it comes to smartphones and other mobile-related devices, one example of these technologies is how the touch properties of a display work Including how much force is needed for a touch response, how much latency in delivering that response, and so on. This is where aspects like a display driver integrated circuit (DDIC) helps by acting as an interface between some of the other components. A number of these DDICs are provided to manufacturers by Synaptics.
While Synaptics may be better known by an end user for its fingerprint sensor developments, the company does offer quite a wide range of DDICs and today Synaptics announced an expansion to that portfolio through the arrival of two new DDICs, the ClearView R66455 and the ClearView R66451. Both are now ready for sampling with Synaptics expecting full production to take place within the first half of next year. Both of these DDICs are designed to specifically enhance the experience on offer with OLED displays and both will be available in a chip-on-film (COF) form to account for rigid and flexible displays. Although a chip-on-plastic (COP) version of the R66451 will also be available as an additional option for manufacturers to use with flexible displays.
The two are largely very similar in nature with one of the main differences being the screen resolution that each one caters to. The R66455 for example, caters up to an FHD+ resolution while the R66451 up to WQHD+ resolution. The “+” of course, also indicates that both of these DDICs offer support for less than traditional aspect ratios, with both models capable of supporting displays that not only stretch beyond the traditional 16:9 to the newer and trending 18:9 aspect ratio, but up to an aspect ratio maximum of 20:9. Meaning both of these DDICs will support displays which adopt a very tall (or long) display – even taller than what is commonly being seen on smartphones in 2017. Likewise, both new DDICs also include support for some of the other trending design features found on smartphones, such as rounded off corners and ‘notches’ – referring to the cut-out portion which is left in place on phones sporting a ‘bezel-less’ (aka edge-to-edge or infinity) display. A portion of the front panel which remains as a means to house hardware aspects like the front-facing camera. With these being OLED-specific DDICs, they are also designed to support a number of the new features now touted by OLED display-equipped devices including high-dynamic range (HDR).