History of screen technology

The huge strides forward within the technology sector have been an almost constant backdrop to our lives throughout the past ten years and they have helped ensure that technology is now absolutely central to our lives. Of course, if there is one thing that has dominated then it is the rise of mobile devices like phones, phablets and tablets. Despite the smaller screens that these devices offer, they are now used more widely than ever before, and to a large extent this is down to other developments relating to their screens.

Although the screens of mobile devices remain much smaller than those of televisions, PCs or laptops, mobile screens have been increasing in size – while tablets have emerged as a middle ground option. However, despite the smaller screens, we are now seeing younger people deploying mobile devices for entertainment options that are visual – such as watching videos or gaming. The reason for this is that major manufacturers like Samsung, HTC and Apple have been improving screen quality through greater pixel density, HD and innovations like touch screen technology. Although primitive versions of this were in existence back in the mid-to-late-1960s, it was Apple who really brought it to a mass audience with its innovative iPhone. Touch screen and subsequent developments like Super AMOLED technology have made these screens far superior to earlier mobile screens.

This has made younger generations in particular very comfortable with moving between different devices – often using different devices to view different content at one time. This multi-screening can be used for leisure purposes – for example many people now watch shows while also discussing them on social media sites via mobile devices at the same time. However it can also be used for work purposes, as people are now easily able to share documents and content between different devices – which has allowed for greater mobility and flexibility when working. The rise of multi-screening provides opportunities for companies to exploit, but also presents them with challenges to overcome.

The biggest challenge that these developments in technology screens and subsequent widespread multi-screening present to companies, is in finding marketing strategies that connect them. Another is to provide content that works on the different sized screens of these devices, as modern consumers have little patience with websites that can’t be viewed properly on mobile phone screens. On the other hand, hashtags and QR codes show that companies are finding ways to make these connections, while others are providing website services that can be activated using mobile phones. It is to be expected that there will be greater amounts of this kind of cross-platform marketing to come in the future, as multi-screening continues to flourish.

Overall the screens of major technology devices have advanced to an extraordinary extent over the last ten years, which has brought about big changes in the way we live. This is mostly a positive thing, as it allows for greater connections and sharing.