E-ink spurred the e-reader revolution as technology that
provided devices featuring easy-to-read displays and long battery life. Then,
the high-resolution color screens and multitasking capabilities of tablet
computers came along and shoved e-readers to the side, according to analyst
firm iSuppli, which reported e-reader sales fell from 23 million units in 2011 to 15 million in 2012.
“Tablets are good and getting better,” Alva Taylor,
faculty director for the Center of Digital Strategies at Dartmouth University,
told Technology Review.
“I think there are multiple technologies that beat the experiences that e-ink
provides. To me, e-ink is like duct tape as a product. They are never going to
be as good as nuts and bolts and screws. But for certain kinds of small
applications, they are perfect.”
Those small applications are exactly what the firm E Ink
is focused on.
While E Ink continues to work on color for its
displays, it’s also finding uses for the technology in flexible devices that
require a tiny battery, making the firms in the emerging smartwatch market
potential customers. The technology could also turn up in three-color store
signs, while improvements are being made to provide enhanced readability,
smoother page turns, and even lower power consumption on e-readers.
