LG-Philips readies cellphone LCD with 1mm bezel

Joint venture LG-Philips LCD on Monday unveiled a new LCD technology that the company says could result in larger screens on many more devices. By integrating the driver circuitry into the LCD panel itself rather than requiring a separate board, the screen can reduce the practical size of the bezel surrounding the screen to just 1mm (0.04 inches) thick. This allows for an LCD 10 percent larger than in the past in the same physical area, LG-Philips says.

Although production LCDs are not expected to reach devices until 2008, the developer suggested that the advancement will result in larger screens on cellphones and noted that its test screen was 2.4 inches, small enough to work in many cellphones and smaller portable media players. Larger screens are also likely to appear using the process in the near future, the company adds. Other companies should have the option of the thin-bezel LCD but have not been announced.