‘Near zero’ energy use: Samsung unveils new screens

The Korean electronics titan has launched a new type of ‘e-paper’ which uses minimal electricity, as it unveils a new business division dedicated to commercial customers.

Samsung's new e-paper measures 32-inches and is designed for commercial use.

Samsung has launched a new type of ‘e-paper’ that rivals conventional digital screens but uses significantly less power as it unveils a new business division dedicated to serving commercial customers.

The e-paper is designed for retailers, providing a similar weight and feel to traditional paper or cardboard posters but with the flexibility of digital screens, allowing them to be updated in real time and avoid costly printing.

What’s more, Samsung head of business development for displays Mark Malcaus said it used “near zero” power consumption, was portable, and could cut costs by up to 50 per cent.

“Once the product (signage) has been updated it literally uses zero per cent power. It can be moved around and stays in that form until you update it again,” Mr Malcaus said.

Samsung head of business development for displays Mark Malcaus.

“The environmental impact is a big call out for us. If you think about how many posters are being printed and the movement of those posters … it’s huge.

“And you can easily mount it to a wall with a small bracket. There is a picture frame solution, so basically a wire with two little hooks that you can hang it from. And because it is such a light weight product, funnily enough, we’ve actually doubled-sided taped it to a wall.”

The e-paper also has a built-in battery and the signage can be updated via an app, allowing retailers to adjust specials and offers in real time.

The e-paper signage measures 17.9mm thick and 32 inches (812.8mm) wide. It is equipped with a colour imaging algorithm that allows it to match the vividness of poster prints and point-of-purchase displays. It is understood supermarket chains have expressed interest in the technology.

Mr Malcaus said there “were quite a lot of proof of concepts” and Australians should be able to see it in action at retailers in coming months.

He said it was part of a pipeline of commercial products, which also include transparent micro-LED screens and a ‘Halo’ display.

The new business-to-business (B2B) division is part of a global overhaul at Samsung. It now operates three divisions in Australia, with the other two being consumer electronics — televisions and other home appliances — and mobile phones and devices.

“With our consumer electronics and our mobile parts of the business, we did have B2B divisions within both, however, they were not fully integrated,” Mr Malcaus said.

“Now what we find is that from an end customer perspective, having the ability to have streamlined, single-point of contact, managing those end customer relationships, creates a lot of efficiencies.”

Mr Malcaus said research from PwC revealed 64 per cent of retailers have found greater cost-effectiveness from investing in digital signage versus paper alternatives.

“Additionally, 74 per cent of retail businesses perceive digital in-store POS (point of sale advertising) could lower costs by up to 50 per cent, enough for 47 per cent to consider switching from paper-based advertising,” he said.

“The implementation of new POS advertising solutions may lead to faster market entry and improved return on investment, assisting retailers in optimising inventory through dynamic promotions.”

Originally published as ‘Near zero’ energy use: Samsung unveils new screens