After asserting the Galaxy Z TriFold’s worth and launch date for the U.S. market on Tuesday, Samsung on Wednesday unveiled a special gadget with a novel show. The 13-inch Samsung Color E-Paper options the world’s first show housing made partly with a bio-resin crafted from phytoplankton. Samsung mentioned in a press launch that the fabric innovation is a substitute for conventional plastics derived from petroleum. Phytoplankton refers to microalgae that stay in water, however Samsung’s announcement would not clarify how the phytoplankton is was a bio-resin materials, or the way it’s blended with plastic.
The Color E-Paper’s show housing is not made solely of bio-resin. Only 10% of the fabric used for the housing comes from phytoplankton, with about 45% constituted of recycled plastic. Comparatively, Amazon used 58% recycled plastic by late 2024 to fabricate its merchandise, together with Kindle fashions. Separately, Apple made the iPhone XS’s cowl glass body with 32% bio-based plastic in 2018, with out detailing the provenance of the “bio” half. Samsung has additionally carried out different eco-friendly measures for the Color E-Paper.
The gadget ships in a field made solely from paper. More importantly, the show could be very environment friendly. According to Samsung, static content material makes use of zero watts of energy. Content refresh would require vitality, however the Korean firm claims the gadget makes use of considerably much less energy than different digital signage merchandise. However, Kindle followers in search of alternate options will not be capable to buy Samsung’s new gadget. The 13-inch Color E-Paper caters to companies which may want signage alternate options to printed paper, like eating places that need to show digital menus with minimal prices.
Will Samsung make e-readers like Amazon’s Kindle?
In addition to detailing the environmental benefits of the 13-inch Color E-Paper show, just like the novel bio-resin materials, Samsung additionally talked about a few of its predominant specs. The gadget includes a “paper-thin” display screen with 1,600 x 1,200 decision and a 4:3 facet ratio. The tablet-like show is about the identical dimension as an A4 sheet of paper, with Samsung saying it is designed for smaller surfaces that require signage, together with tables, doorways, and counters. The gadget weighs 0.9 kg (about two kilos) and has a 17.9 mm profile. It additionally includes a built-in battery that may be recharged by way of USB-C, which suggests the gadget can be utilized with out wires.
The colour show expertise might sound interesting to customers who’re already conversant in colour e-readers and e-paper shows. Samsung says the gadget options a sophisticated colour imaging algorithm that “enhances color accuracy and readability to deliver a paper-like look and feel.” However, the gadget cannot be used as a private e-reader, because it would not function a standard working system that will enable the consumer to run apps. Instead, the 13-inch Color E-Paper could be managed by way of an Android or iPhone gadget, or remotely when the content material displayed on the display screen must be up to date.
There’s nothing in Samsung’s announcement to counsel the corporate will use related improvements for any new gadgets concentrating on normal customers, whether or not it is this specific 13-inch e-paper display screen know-how or the show housing made with algae-based bio-resin. Amazon does promote a big e-reader with a colour show, the 11-inch Kindle Scribe Colorsoft that retails for $629.99. Last month, TCL unveiled the 11.5-inch NXTPAPER Pure e-ink gadget, priced at $529 on Kickstarter.