Get a feel for Nokia’s super sensitive touch displays

Published by Boc Ly on October 2, 2012

Nokia Lumia 920

We love our smartphones so much that we don’t just use them; we touch, swipe, tap and pinch them. They’re very human gestures and it is one reason why we have become so attached to these devices. They’re playful and easy to use.

Nokia is now taking this relationship even further with new super sensitive touch displays.

This new ability to use the touch screen with your nails, or even with your gloves on, is the biggest leap forward for capacitive touchscreens since multi-touch gestures were introduced.

Super sensitive touch technology will be featured first in the PureMotion HD+ display of the Nokia Lumia 920 and the ClearBlack display of the Nokia Lumia 820.

As Nokia’s senior vice-President of Smart Devices, Kevin Shields, said at the launch of the new Windows Phone 8 smartphones:

“Nokia has been a leader in display technology, and we are setting a new standard with Super Sensitive Touch technology on the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820.”

Nails & gloves

Using a normal touchscreen is extremely tricky if you’ve got long nails – you need to angle your finger carefully. Neither can you use a pen or wear gloves.

Nokia has been working for some time – and with different partners – on getting around these problems, and were finally able to make the final leap thanks to some new hardware innovations from Synaptics. 

Nokia’s super sensitive touch displays now allows for a wonderful touchscreen user interface, regardless of the input method. Right now, there is nothing else on the market that offers the same experience.

Adaptive technology 

Nokia Lumia 920

“The technology is adaptive so it reacts to any conductive object that is touching the screen,” explains Senior Technology Manager Jussi Ropo who has worked on super sensitive touch technology. 

“In other words, whether you are using it with gloves or a nail or stylus, it will automatically adjust the sensitiveness to provide the best possible touch screen experience.”

It should also be stressed that super sensitive touch technology does not make the screen more fragile, affect the water resistance or increase the likelihood of coins or keys in your pocket accidentally making calls on your behalf. 

Super sensitive touch will make a big difference, not just for people with long nails or when you are wearing gloves but it enhances the whole touchscreen experience for everyone.

“What has made this possible? You need a lot of experience working with capacitive touch to be able do this. I would say it is a combination of the new hardware and the way it’s built into the phone but even more it is about knowing how to use it,” says Jussi.

Nokia gave birth to the idea of super sensitive touch displays, and then with help from component suppliers, they have now been able to fine-tune and perfect it.

image credit (home page): espejo

Comments

  • irfanullahjan

    Hello Nokia! Please make a high end Lumia phone with 4 inch 15:9 display. I am a Lumia 800 user and in my opinion, its size is perfect for a smartphone.

    • Lovrena

      A 4″ HD display is roughly 50 x 89 mm (367 ppi), while a 4″ WVGA panel is 52 x 87 mm (233 ppi). It should nicely fit into a Nokia C7 shell and almost fit into a super-small Nokia 700. ;)

    • Lovrena

      A 4″ HD display is roughly 50 x 89 mm (367 ppi), while a 4″ WVGA panel is 52 x 87 mm (233 ppi). It should nicely fit into a Nokia C7 shell and almost fit into a super-small Nokia 700. ;)

    • Harry_Wild

      I too like a smaller top line Nokia Lumia. It too bad they just do not think of the person who uses it as a smartphone all the time 24/7 instead of people who use it to surf the web and nothing else and like the huge screens that cannot be carried everywhere because of size and weight issues.
      I do not think Nokia will copy Apple’s iPhone5 since they are fixated on Samsung GalaxyS III design form factor when the developed the 920. Later this month; Samsung is going to introduce a smaller Galaxy S III model too. Nokia should follow suit and in maybe 2nd quarter there will be a smaller 920 too.

  • http://mobilecrazies.com/ Anirudh Sharma

    @Boc Amazing stuff you guys are doing on the new Lumia 920. Any mention of using wet hands or butter fingers on the super sensitive touch display? ;)

    • disqustingtard

      And rain. I often use my Titan in the rain (and three typhoons so far) and the raindrops register as touch on the screen. Please advise the performance of the Lumia 920 while using it in the rain, thanks.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Marcel-Wegmann/1199446486 Marcel Wegmann

    Just an epic technology for every motorcyclist. Using it, without pulling the protecting gloves off and losing them… must. have. Lumia920.

    • Veli-Pekka Nousiainen

      ditto!
      I use Hayabusa for commuting and trips to my hometown Oulu (Refueling+eating around Jyväskylä) 650km to the North of Espoo. I don’t need a GPS on that trip, but occationally I may sidetrack, so finding a route back while it’s raining only works on somethink like Tom-Tom Rider, or….the Nokia Lumia 920! The world wie maps are free…now wait!!!
      What about the water resistance???
      Darn!!!

  • the_game606

    Please Nokia release this amazing device to world wide please, here in Ecuador there are many fans that are waiting for this Lumia, but November is to late, please hear to your costumers, remember South America… HAIL TO NOKIA

  • http://twitter.com/nok4us Izzi

    the lumia 820 has this super sensitive screen right?

    • Avatar Roku

      Yes both phones have it.

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

    I need to get my hands on that red baby.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ethani Ethan Illfelder

    Does anyone know if this technology will enable faster screen response rates as well? (ie when you draw a line the gap between your input and the screen registering it)

  • chandankr

    Can’t wait to get this phone…truly innovative, truly smartphone of 2012…not like iPhone 5, which is just taller and bad maps app…Kudos to Nokia team for all the innovations!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000089286668 Truitt Dill

    JUST RELEASE IT ALREADY AND STOP TELLING ME HOW GREAT IT IS.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ethani Ethan Illfelder

    I really want to see a phone with a fast response time…. no lag between input and output (for drawing/editing a picture- all the adjustments happen in real time as opposed to being slightly delayed)

  • Benjie

    Wish i have one of those win8 phones… :/

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003040841142 Anz Joy

    If Lumia was to have an android platform …..then even the ‘apple-rians’ would find it difficult to Go for apple

  • halfling_rogue

    I would so love to have this, but what about Nokia + Android together to rule the world?!?!?

  • durgaprasad

    hi i am great fan of nokia., here i m from india nd i suppose to suggest something to u please concerntrate on ur designs and make it with less weight, its better nd concerntrate on sound system also.. this 3 are the main problems this year nokia gets down in india. samsung people r releasing all mobiles with less weight nd gud design nd high volumes nd all features in avg cost. nokia people think once about this nd make it gud design nd less weight with all features for normal and ordinary people also. i wanna see nokia again top position next year..

  • durgaprasad

    now a generation all r thinking less weight mobiles nd newly features what they included

  • http://twitter.com/vks719 vinodsharda

    If Nokia Lumia 920& Nokia Lumia 820 is able to offer Voice Command App like Siri of iPhone 5 then it could be a win-win situation for Nokia Lumia flagship models

  • Conor Raypholtz

    iv heard rumors of a 922 for verizon…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-Acerbic/100001026602451 Joe Acerbic

    Another unique, useful feature denied to anybody in USA who won’t surrender to be abused by AT$T. When will anyone from Nokia answer this: WHAT THE &%$!! IS WRONG WITH YOU?