The smartphone display redefined: PureMotion HD+

Published by Ian Delaney on September 6, 2012

 

The new Nokia Lumia 920 sports a number of innovations, but one we’re especially keen that you don’t miss is the latest technology advancement in smartphone displays, something we’re calling PureMotion HD+.

What does it do and why do you want it? Put simply, it combines four leaps forward into one to deliver the fastest, brightest, most-sensitive smartphone display with the highest pixel density in the industry.

Let’s take that piece by piece.

Faster

normal display

lumia 920

One of the problems with existing LCD displays used on smartphones is that they can’t keep up. While the internal hardware and operating system are fast enough to deliver a full 60 frames-per-second (FPS), the screens themselves lag behind, leading to pixelated video and ghost images appearing as your screen moves.

PureMotion HD+ uses an IPS type LCD display that is also given a higher voltage difference when changing states to produce a clean transition from frame to frame, even when operating at top speeds. This allows the display to deliver a steady 60FPS without any blurring.

Brighter

It’s nearly two years since Nokia delivered the last big step forward in screen brightness in the form of ClearBlack display, a technology to reduce the reflections that can make mobile phones hard to read outside.

PureMotion HD+ adds a high-luminescence mode that works automatically from the phone’s ambient light sensor, improving contrast and brightness outdoors considerably.

More-sensitive

Ever tried using a modern smartphone with gloves on, or with the end of a regular pen? Exactly. It doesn’t work.

sensitive touch

But now it does, PureMotion HD+ incorporates a new super-sensitive touch display that can be used with any of these things.

More pixels: HD+

The Lumia 920’s display has WXGA resolution. HD+ refers to the 768×1280 pixel count and 15:9 aspect ratio. That’s a lot of pixels – lots more than the iPhone 4, with its 640×960 pixels, and even more than the Samsung Galaxy S3, with 720×1280 pixels. The pixel density is higher than either, too, at 332 pixels per inch. (For comparison, the widely praised ‘retina’ display on the iPhone 4 offers 326ppi).

resolution

You might be wondering about the 15:9 aspect ratio. You’re probably more-used to computer and television displays with a 16:9 ratio. The truth is that mobile phones have different usability requirements, and 16:9 means that, with larger screens, it’s a long stretch to move your finger from the top to the bottom. 15:9 is simply better suited to normal human hands.

Need more detail on how it all works? Look no further, since the brains behind the display have put together a white paper that explains and demonstrates the technology, as well as the practical differences it will make for owners. 

What’s the key innovation here for you? A display that’s faster, brighter, more sensitive or more packed with pixels?

Comments

  • http://twitter.com/Alvetica Al Pavangkanan

    Looking forward to seeing this tech for myself

  • http://twitter.com/AlexEfimoff Alex Efimoff

    It’s always nice to know that there is such a great technology out there. However how would it benefit my everyday life on practice in real life?
    For example, I am a pro.photographer, and I am looking for the brightest display that renders colours in the most accurate way and hope the Lumia 920 display is calibrated properly (not like Lumia 800)
    Beside the hw features, is there sw solution which allow me to utilise PureView HD+ in full? Say a Camera application with extended (DSLR-like) control over the result (ISO, exposure, bracketing, etc)?
    Would Lumia 920 deliver what I expect? Is that a thought through complete solution for real people or just a bunch of great features stuck together in a nice colourful phone case?

    • pdexter

      I think the color rendering will certainly be well and above the AMOLED screen. AMOLED screens tend to always be over saturated.

      Some people like it, some don’t.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_H7XZGHA4CN5PQYAMAHRAH7WZWM Don Farmer

    I like the videos that explain this tech after the show. Very nice of Nokia to make those and get them out as soon as possible. I can’t wait for the 920 and just called AT&T. He didn’t know anything but asked how I know so much about the phones. I told him to go to Nokia Conversations.

    • http://conversations.nokia.com Ian Delaney

      Thanks, Don!

  • x3nom0rph

    Take a look at the video and pause it at 0:56
    Voila, it’s not Lumia 920!! :-) Nokia logo is centered, much less space wasted at the bottom.

    New incoming Lumia??

    • http://twitter.com/engige Joseph Ngige

      Good observation but this might still be the Lumia920 for the international market. I highly hope so because having the nokia logo on the right side feels awkward!! All Nokias I have owned have the logo at the center apart from the N900 which is understandable. I just hope the phones nokia displayed are for the US Market where the carriers insert their logo on the other side to balance out.

  • xoj_21

    Amoled is better

    • http://twitter.com/AlexEfimoff Alex Efimoff

      CRT is better!

      • pdexter

        yeah
        CRT is certainly the winner here! :D

        No really. xoj_21 i would just wait to see the display. The Verge already commented it to be best display they had ever seen.

        it is certainly looking to be one of the reasons to get 920.

  • http://twitter.com/engige Joseph Ngige

    So are we going to get an N-Pen accessory? Would be handy in some situations.

    • http://www.facebook.com/gmiguel83 Jorge Miguel

      Hahaha good one.

  • Wyn6

    I certainly hope that negotiations with T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon go well enough to see both the 920 and 820 on all three of these carriers (excluding Sprint for now).
    I think the exclusivity with AT&T on the 900 worked out fairly well by getting the phone some notice, emphasis on some.
    Far be it from me to tell Nokia how to promote these phones, but in my opinion the better marketing play here would be to launch both phones on as many carriers as possible here in the US and world wide. Especially, Verizon here in the States even though I’m with T-Mobile. Fact is Verizon is THE largest carrier in the states and it would be debilitatingly remiss not to have both these phones on Verizon or at least the 920.
    Verizon, afterall, was one of the main ingredients in Android’s success.
    Allow the carriers to do their individual marketing, but do not rely on them solely to push the phones or the platform (we see how that’s worked out). Nokia should be the vanguard here and advertise in conjunction with the carriers AND Microsoft. This will hopefully ensure maximum exposure and awareness, which is Windows Phone’s Achilles heel at the moment.
    But, far be it from me to tell you guys how to promote your phones. ;)
    Looking forward to these phones. Great job.

    • http://twitter.com/ArthurGD3 Arthur

      A 920 Verizon variant operating on Verizon’s 4G LTE network would make this a very enticing and almost impossible to pass up device on Verizon. Currently speaking, the only phone on Verizon I would consider is the Galaxy Nexus which is almost a year old device. Just an example of how unique a device the 920 would be on Verizon, unique in so many ways with no equal on that network in any aspect.

    • http://www.facebook.com/SoCalPaisa Derrek Leigh

      I totally agree. Carriers market Samsung, but Samsung also markets Samsung, so Nokia should take the same approach. I thought AT&T had too much say in advertizing for Nokia and thought the latter could do a much better job. Also, Verizon is supposedly getting the Lumia 822 as a variant of the 820. Fingers crossed, as this will really help Nokia. I am on T-Mobile too, and would love to get the 920, but I would be just fine with the 820 as well.

  • http://www.facebook.com/gmiguel83 Jorge Miguel

    Get them out already. This is too awesome!

  • http://twitter.com/tristan666by serialover69®

    i prefer nokia n8 ;-)

  • http://www.facebook.com/gofaadil Faadil Farick

    @nokia, although u introduce. Great phones the os u r using is useless. Try 4 android then we’l shurely buy nkia products…

    • pdexter

      Thankfully Nokia has not gone for Android.

    • Sugadevan

      Android is trash, try windows phone its fast,smooth than android,ios. for god’s sake please don’t repeat this. this doesn’t man tht windows phone is bad, u r just using android and never tried windows phones :)

      • wlmeng11

        The lack of spelling here is disconcerting.

      • Faadil Farick

        @sugadevan du knw that more than 60% of mobile os market share is Android, I have used several Nokia phones bt nt windows. Coz I dnt need windows again >:). Y u people trying to stuck inside in a single os. Windows is the most famouse 1 for pc’s nd now they r trying to bring the same to mobile devices. But they cannot do that. Keep inind that Android is a verry different os that came from a new world n it has the ability to make our phones a computer. With sony xperias its value is doubled. I didnt say that nokia is useless but windows, nokia products have a great lifetime. But unfortunately they took a wrong decisions by choosing windows.If they chose android now itself definitely they will bee the best phone selling company in the world.

  • http://twitter.com/wynandvs Wynand van Staden

    Innovation…that’s what I want from my phone and that’s why I choose Nokia every time!

  • Cesare Libetta

    guys this video is crap…either you explain technically what is Puremotion or you just say it’s great and good, etc… Why Nokia can’t communicate something effectively ? there are great features there…do not spend mktg money to make this kind of videos !