Fundamentally change the form factor of their mobile devices from backlit LCD to see-through OLED.  How do I know that?  Because it’s the obvious thing to do to solve a basic irritation.  Let me give you a little background.

In yesterday’s post I dropped an idea on you about creating a paper thin OLED touch tablet for music system control.  Some of you brushed right past it, others wrote and asked me what OLED was and others quickly grasped the concept.  That’s perfect.

Here’s the deal: the iPad, iPod, iPhone series of mobile devices from Apple are all backlit LCD devices – as are the majority of mobile products and virtually all PC monitors and many of today’s TV’s.  LCD requires a backlight which works like a stained glass window – you have to shine light through the window to see the colours.  OLED requires no backlight because it’s a wafer thin transparent membrane that emits colours both front and back.  It’s a young technology but before you know it there will be nothing else used.

So, how do I know Apple and other innovators will switch to it?  Because it’s obvious they dislike the weight, thickness, eye strain and battery loss of a backlit LCD – and OLED is the only technology to replace it.

Isn’t it obvious to you that Steve Jobs must have hated the required thickness of the iPad and iPhone cases – that couldn’t be done away with as long as you need a backlit box?  Of course he hated it and would have much preferred a paper-thin sheet, attached to a small frame under the sheet that contains the battery and electronics.  How much more elegant could you get these days?

The point I want to make is this: if you want to figure out where the future leads us, all you need to do is look at today’s frustrations and shortcomings.

Great new products are usually a surprise and a delight only because we weren’t frustrated with what we had already: but the idea guys hated them enough to build something magical.

By Paul McGowan of PS Audio ([email protected])