Sony Odin handset may sport WhiteMagic screen technology

Sony Odin handset may sport WhiteMagic screen technology
Longer lasting battery and a big screen?

Sony's flagship handset for 2013 is rumoured to pack a 5-inch display and new reports suggest it will also sport WhiteMagic technology.

We heard about a super-sized screen earlier this month after Japanese display manufacturer JDI revealed it was producing 5-inch, 1080p screens with an impressive 443ppi pixel density.

The screen has been linked with the Sony Odin, which is expected to be the Japanese firm's flagship handset for 2013, and new reports suggest it could be packing some seriously clever tech.

It's a kind of magic

Earlier this year Sony explained to TechRadar that the WhiteMagic tech was stuck at 4-inches, which pours a certain amount of cold water on the possibility of this rumour coming true.

According to a recent press release from JDI, the firm is readying prototypes of a 5-inch WhiteMagic display which boasts a 438ppi pixel density – slightly lower than the initial reports we saw from the firm, but never the less still very impressive.

One of the big selling points of the WhiteMagic screen is that it conserves power much more effectively and JDI claims it will have "low power consumption that is approximately 50% less by utilizing an RGBW pixel structure".

This will be a massive bonus for smartphone manufactures, as bigger screens and more powerful innards currently drain batteries quicker than you can say "where's my charger?"

As well as saving battery, the WhiteMagic technology also has another trick up its sleeve: instead of keeping you going for longer, it can be switched to double the brightness of the display, ensuring that your face is illuminated like a Christmas tree.

We can't be sure if the 5-inch, WhiteMagic display will make it into Sony's flagship smartphone next year, but we wouldn't be surprised if it did.

From JDI via XperiaBug

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.