In case you are not aware, Mirasol is currently working on a display technology capable of reflecting lights. This means much improved readability in direct sunlight while retaining the advantages of an LCD display. Qualcomm bought the rights to this technology in 2004.
Like all technologies, the transflective displays have the big disadvantage of having a slow response and cause lag. Qualcomm, the company behind the Mirasol displays, decided to license the technology. They will sell only certain Mirasol products. Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs stated:
“with respect to QMT, we’re now focusing on licensing our next-generation Mirasol display technology and will directly commercialize only certain Mirasol products. We believe that this strategy will better align our updated roadmap with the addressable opportunities.”
It may be that Qualcomm is looking to find someone that is able to solve the problems with this display technology, that they never managed to find a solution to. For those hoping to see Mirasol display technology on the market soon it seems like a major setback. It does not mean the line has been discontinued, we may yet see the technology implemented in the future. Till then, here is a demo video of the Mirasol color displays tech:
