Mobile projectors "will be as big as cameraphones"

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 16 Feb 2009 at 17:34

Texas Instruments claims its mini-projector technology will be as big as the now ubiquitous mobile phone camera.

The chip maker is eyeing growth in features such as mobile web surfing and video, even as the overall phone market shrinks. It expects the new projector chips - unveiled at the Mobile World Congress showcase in Barcelona - to be ready for customers later this year and in commercial products in 2010.

Samsung recently launched a phone in South Korea using the first version of TI's pico-projector technology, which beams video or photographs from a phone to any surface. Samsung also plans to sell a similar device in Europe but has not released pricing.

TI claims interest in its first pico chip was so strong, it has invested heavily in an upgraded version that is 20% smaller, but produces brighter images at twice the resolution.

"We believe very strongly that it's the start of a new world that transforms business and social interactions." says Frank Moizio, emerging business manager for TI's Digital Light Projection (DLP) unit.

He says executives could quickly beam a presentation slide from their phone on to the tablecloth during a dinner meeting, or consumers could use projector phones to share photos or video with a group of friends. He even claims the projector could be used as a torch in emergencies.

"It's been requested of us by mobile phone companies and consumer electronics companies all over the world," says Moizio, who added that pico-projectors may be even more popular than mobile phone cameras, which grew from 4 million shipments in 2001 to more than 700 million in 2007.

"We see no reason for this not to follow a path similar to the camera phone," he adds.

TI won't reveal which companies plan to use the new projector chip, but says it's in discussions with the biggest phone makers.