Projector phone

LG has filed a patent called “Mobile terminal with image projection”. It's a system that allows a gesture/touch user interface on a projected image. The idea is a system that identifies a pointer (finger), the shadow of the finger on the projected image and the distance between those two. When you touch something on the image, the distance is shorter - and thus you have a 'touch event'. Gesture interface is done similarly.

Update: In-Stat has issued a correction to their PR: they say that by 2014, there will be 20 million devicew with pico-projectors, not 2.3 billion (!) as they said in the original PR. That makes more sense...

In-Stat has released a new report (Pico Projectors: One Reason Bigger Isn't Better), in which they forecast that by 2014 there will be 20 million devices with embedded pico projector modules. Mobile phones will account to over 90% of that.

"Although the integration of 'pico' projectors will occur across the entire CE device spectrum, the biggest push will come from the mobile handset segment," says Frank Dickson, VP Mobile Internet Research. "The reality is that the mobile handset market is measured in billions, creating massive opportunities for component manufactures. For pico projectors, what makes it even more attractive is that the market is hypercompetitive, with manufacturers always aggressively looking to add new features to create differentiation."

Young Optics say that global shipments of pico-projectors reached 437,791 in the first half of 2010. 46% of these were LCoS based mobile phones offered by Chinese white-box vendors (this is somewhat surprising, isn't it?), and 10% were DLP-based handset models. Total 2010 stand-alone pico-projector shipments are estimated at 900,000. In 2011, these will grow to over 2 million units.

Prices for pico projector modules are expected to drop to US$50 by the end of 2010, which is still higher than clients' expectations, Young Optics said, adding that module prices are expected to drop below US$30 in 2012.

The company says that the market for projector cameras will grow significantly in 2011, judging from orders from clients. The market of pico projectors for handsets will pick up in 2012.

Samsung say that the Galaxy Beam will launch on July, in Singapore (a European and Asian launch will follow soon afterwards). The Galaxy Beam has a 3.7" Super-AMOLED display, WVGA DLP pico-projector (that isn't very bright, only 6 lumens), Android v2.1, Wi-Fi, 8mp camera, A-GPS, FM radio and HD video recording.

Samsung i8520 Beam

Via OLED-Info

Taiwan's Young Optics says that mobile projector phones are expected to take off around the end of 2010. DLP will be the preferred light engine. The company says that in order to enter the supply chain of a first-tier phone maker the light-engine has to have a 9lm/W efficiency and be 5cc at most. They are currently developing new light engines based on 3rd-generation DLP chips - these light engines will be 4cc in size.

They also believe the the price of these engines will not drop below $50 in 2010. The company hopes to see demand rising, and expects pico-projector revenues to account for 10-15% of their total revenue in 2010 (in 2009, it was 5%).

Moject is a patented system of interacting with projected content. Basically it's a motion-controlled pico projector system. The idea is that you hold a pico-projector in your hands and use motion control sensors like a Wii remote. They have developed a prototype (based on an iPhone and a laser pico-projector plus a sample game they developed):

One of the nice things about Moject is that it allows you to get image stabilization and location fix. This means that even if you move your hand, the image will stay in the correct horizontal orientation (although you lose some image size of course) and they also know where you project from, so they can fix objects to locations. So if you pan left, and then right again, they'll know you're in the same location - which can be great in games...

The Moject guys have developed and patented the system, and built a prototype (as seen in the video above). They are looking for industry partners to help bring this to market - whether via mobile-phones, handhelds, media players - or anything that integrates a projector, really. Hopefully we'll hear more about them soon...

Samsung's W9600 projector phone is now shipping in Korea, but we do not know the price yet. This is an update to the Samsung Show W7900, with TI's new WVGA (854x480) DLP chipset. It has a 5mp camera and an AMOLED display.

Samsung W9600