Since the Nintendo 3DS was announced, it seems that it will be imminent that the glasses free 3D display technology by Sharp will eventually go to mobile devices too.

The fixed 3D technology is easier to pull off on small devices and the panel can switch between regular 2D and 3D mode and does not require 3D glasses. It uses a parallax barrier system to display 3D images.

From Sharp’s press release:

The newly developed 3D LCD uses a parallax barrier system to display 3D images. This parallax barrier, which has a series of vertical slits, is incorporated into an ordinary LCD to control the path of light reaching the right and left eyes, thus creating a sense of depth. However, the conventional 3D LCD with this system had difficulty in displaying high-quality images in 3D mode.

The 3D LCD developed by Sharp at this time significantly improves image quality by achieving both high brightness and low crosstalk*2 thanks to advances in CG-Silicon technology*3 and optimization of the parallax barrier. Advances in CG-Silicon technology have shrunk the wiring width within the LCD panel, allowing more light to pass and doubling the brightness (to 500 cd/m2, the industry’s highest) compared to the conventional model*4. In addition, optimizing the parallax barrier design has increased the efficiency of light, thereby dramatically reducing crosstalk. Also, the thickness of the LCD module is about the same as conventional 2D displays even though it is a touchscreen display. As 3D images can be displayed in both portrait and landscape screen orientations, it is ideal for sophisticated mobile devices such as smartphones.

Via: Sharp Press Release