We love our smartphones so much that we don’t just use them; we touch, swipe, tap and pinch them. They’re very human gestures and it is one reason why we have become so attached to these devices. They’re playful and easy to use.
Nokia is now taking this relationship even further with new super sensitive touch displays.
This new ability to use the touch screen with your nails, or even with your gloves on, is the biggest leap forward for capacitive touchscreens since multi-touch gestures were introduced.
Super sensitive touch technology will be featured first in the PureMotion HD+ display of the Nokia Lumia 920 and the ClearBlack display of the Nokia Lumia 820.
As Nokia’s senior vice-President of Smart Devices, Kevin Shields, said at the launch of the new Windows Phone 8 smartphones:
“Nokia has been a leader in display technology, and we are setting a new standard with Super Sensitive Touch technology on the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820.”
Nails & gloves
Using a normal touchscreen is extremely tricky if you’ve got long nails – you need to angle your finger carefully. Neither can you use a pen or wear gloves.
Nokia has been working for some time – and with different partners – on getting around these problems, and were finally able to make the final leap thanks to some new hardware innovations from Synaptics.
Nokia’s super sensitive touch displays now allows for a wonderful touchscreen user interface, regardless of the input method. Right now, there is nothing else on the market that offers the same experience.
Adaptive technology
“The technology is adaptive so it reacts to any conductive object that is touching the screen,” explains Senior Technology Manager Jussi Ropo who has worked on super sensitive touch technology.
“In other words, whether you are using it with gloves or a nail or stylus, it will automatically adjust the sensitiveness to provide the best possible touch screen experience.”
It should also be stressed that super sensitive touch technology does not make the screen more fragile, affect the water resistance or increase the likelihood of coins or keys in your pocket accidentally making calls on your behalf.
Super sensitive touch will make a big difference, not just for people with long nails or when you are wearing gloves but it enhances the whole touchscreen experience for everyone.
“What has made this possible? You need a lot of experience working with capacitive touch to be able do this. I would say it is a combination of the new hardware and the way it’s built into the phone but even more it is about knowing how to use it,” says Jussi.
Nokia gave birth to the idea of super sensitive touch displays, and then with help from component suppliers, they have now been able to fine-tune and perfect it.