Opinion

Display calibration – Sony’s next step in smartphone technology

26

Smartphone displays can’t get much better at this point. Full HD resolution screens are becoming a standard and there is a type of display for everyone, but many times the phone you want doesn’t have the type of display you prefer. Sacrificing your favorite display type for better specs/features is simply necessary sometimes, but Sony is here to revolutionize the way we look at this.

All displays have their pros and cons. AMOLEDs are known for deep blacks and saturated colors, while LCDs are known for realistic colors and IPS screens offer better viewing angles. Until now, though, no Android smartphone has given us the option to calibrate the screen. Some Samsung devices will allow you to adjust saturation, but that’s about it. The Japanese manufacturer will be the first to bring us full-featured screen calibration with the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL.

Different displays technologies will still have their clear separations, but at least we will be able to get them closer to what we prefer. Imagine being able to make colors brighter on an LCD screen to make it look more like a Super AMOLED (or vice versa). Or what about darker blacks? Or whiter whites?

Manufacturers need to understand not all of us like their optimal screen settings. It’s the same reason why I never want my TVs to be professionally calibrated. I don’t like those “realistic” images. I want blacks to be dark… and colors to be bright and pop out. I even like that “soap opera” effect that makes movies look weird to others. Many call my TV settings surreal, but that is the way I enjoy TV and I am glad no TV manufacturer is forcing me to use their settings.

Smartphone displays are no different, and this is why I tend to lean towards AMOLED displays. I know I would be more likely to purchase a non-AMOLED smartphone if I could calibrate it to my will. I am also sure many of you wouldn’t avoid AMOLED so much if you could change the way it looks.

This might partially be a rant, but it is a very valid one. How can we claim our OS is the most flexible when we can’t customize the display itself? Props to Sony for making it happen. I hope more manufacturers start giving us this option – do you?

[via secafe]

Edgar Cervantes

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26 Comments

  1. I wonder if there are any apps that need root access that can accomplish this. I bet there are. If not, hopefully someone at xda devs will whip something up. Still though, to be honest I’ve never felt the need to tweak the screen on my Galaxy note 2 or Galaxy s ll

    1. Check out “Galactic Night” in the play store.

      1. it goes back to standard after lock and unlock on my S3???

  2. Xda has had display calibration for some time now. Look it up.

  3. That “soap opera effect” is caused by doing 120 or 240 Hz refresh rate on an LCD. The LCD is essentially guessing the in between frames.

    And it drives me up the wall lol.

    1. The refresh rate plus lighting plus FR. You can get rid of the soap opera effect on any tv… But personally, for everything except sports, I kind of prefer it.

  4. I personally think this is great for most people. I love how HTC’s displays look, and HATE how Samsungs look, but with this I wouldn’t mind Samsung as much!

    1. Contrary, I hate the washed out look of LCDs. Like my Nexus 7 compared to my Epic 4G Touch. I love the screen better on my Epic 4G Touch. I just prefer those colors to look… colorful. I know it’s very “fake” looking, but IDC. I don’t like gray for black. =.P

      So apparently this WOULD be a great idea to start doing.

      1. At least we agree it’s neat (:

        But! HTC uses some type of fancy display though. Like the new ones have a Super LCD 3 if I’m not mistaken. So if you compare say the Droid DNA to the Nexus 7 the colors on the DNA are probably better (just speculation).

        1. I’ll have to see this display. A Verizon opened up near my friends house. I’ll see how the displays look against each other.

          1. Okay! If you remember, let me know what you think!

  5. Oh yea!! All the more reason for me to get this phone. Keep bringing out the awesomeness!! Is it December yet? =.[

  6. More options are always better.

  7. Edgar LCD screens do NOT have better viewing angles than amoleds…fix that typo

    1. yes they do

  8. CyanogenMod 9/10 has been doing this. I loved it on my Nexus S and currently using it on Gnexus

  9. Definitely my year for Sony..

  10. Check out “Galactic Night” in the play store, and for those running Android prior to ICS, check out Chainfire3D.

  11. I thought I was the only one who liked the ” soap opera” effect LOL. I actually totally agree with all of your display preferences. Honestly though I wouldn’t call the GS3 and Note 2’s screen overly saturated. I think Samsung really hit the spot between vibrance and realistic colors with those phones.

  12. Thank you Sony.

  13. This wont let you get accurate color though as you need a hardware calibrator for that.

  14. What took Sony so long to arrive with Android? Love my Sony Google TV.

  15. This is a long time feature of CM10.1 if I’m correct. May even have been on CM10 also ?

  16. Hello guys

    can anyone help me to Root Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

  17. Add in the option to lower the display resolution, it’d make testing apps on different resolutions much easier if it could be done from one device.

  18. This idea is nice. But I would really like a screen that can be viewed outside.

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