Samsung has patented a transparent screen with front and back touch capabilities. Some believe the technology could hit the Galaxy S5 but to be honest we think it’s very unlikely the feature would reach Samsung’s next flagship instalment, which is rumoured to be coming at the start of 2014.
The patent allows the user to touch the back of the device and open a folder from a list or additional pop up for features such as photos or notes without navigating away from the display on the front.
Another way the technology can work is by having two overlapping objects active on the device, one controlled by the front of the device and another by the back. Other features which are used on most front screen displays such as patterns for unlocking and controlling video are also detailed in the patents.
The patent was filed in the first half of 2013 in the US and a year earlier in Korea which makes it a little difficult to tell how far along in the research and development process Samsung really is. As far as we know no other manufacturers have patented transparent display technologies so it’s likely Samsung will be one step ahead of the competition once they begin to filter into the market.
Another application the patent shows is setting an alarm clock on the front display and then controlling the time and date with the back display. The technology could be applied to a number of smartphone functions. It would be interesting in playing video allowing you to continue watching whilst checking that text message you’ve just received.
That’s even before contemplating how game developers could use the technology. Most mobile gaming is controlled via a smartphones touch screen display so two displays would essentially mean two controllers. The possibilities are endless and it seems like Samsung has caught onto that idea.
