A touchscreen is an integral element of any modern smartphone. Yes, there are still push-button phones on the market, but they are inferior to gadgets with an elegant, buttonless design. If you have thought about how such phones work, or your child asked you “What is a touchscreen?”, and you haven’t found the “Fixies” series about smartphones, then we will tell you about it here. What kinds and types do they have and which one is preferable for your possibly new device? What is a touchscreen on a phone?
Phone touchscreen
A touch Screen is a screen with a sensitive sensor system. It allows the user to trigger buttons by directly pressing them on the screen, without moving the cursor or selecting the desired item with the keys. If in push-button phones we had to press the numbers several times to dial a certain letter, on the sensor this can be done with one touch.
The name of our site would have to be typed like this: 111 – 77 – 1 – 777 – 88.
Smartphones of our generation have very different screens from those of the early 2000s. The display was only suitable for displaying a signal. All controls were made using buttons or a more modern analogue of a “joystick” in place of the central button.
Later, phones with touch screens began to appear. Often, to handle them, the manufacturer included a stylus in the kit – a stick with a soft rubberized tip to make working on the sensor easier. So that the user’s finger accurately hits the desired letter in the message.
The use of touch panels has made it possible to optimize the design of phones by removing buttons and enlarging the screen.
Touchscreen and display: what are the differences
It is important to distinguish between these two concepts. This may be useful to you if your phone is broken and you need to determine which screen element is damaged. This way you won’t overpay for unnecessary repairs.
In simple words, what is a touchscreen on a phone? This is a tactile sensitive element of the screen. Thanks to it, you interact with the device and launch programs using touches. The display is the visual part of the screen. It is needed to show you pictures: all the icons, background, and text.
Manufacturers of new gadgets combine these two modules. Thus, the result is a screen made using One Glass Solution (OGS) technology. That’s why phones have become thinner. The downside is that if one thing breaks, you will have to replace the entire module. Both parts are connected by transparent glue, and if you try to tear them apart, everything will be damaged.
Types of touchscreens
There are two types of touchscreens: capacitive and resistive. We will tell you about each of them in more detail.
Capacitive screens
This type of screens, in turn, is divided into two types:
- surface capacitive;
- Projective capacitive.
Screens of the first type are glass with a thin layer of metal oxide that conducts the signal, and small electrodes at the corners supply voltage to it. When you touch it, current flows and the phone detects the touch. Screens made using this technology are no longer used in the production of modern smartphones.
Projection-capacitive screens are made based on a glass plate and a whole network of electrodes on its reverse side. A microscopic controller applies current to each electrode in this grid and reads the amplitude. When touched, the capacitance of the electrodes at a specific point changes. And the controller determines which part of the screen you touch.
Screens made using this technology have the following advantages:
- they support multi-touch reading (Multi touch technology);
- longer service life;
- high strength;
- precise determination of the point of contact;
- light transmittance is above 90%, which is a high indicator.
But, alas, such screens are not cheap. You can see it in modern smartphones from popular brands such as Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi. They are distinguished by high image contrast and detailed images.
Resistive screens
This type of screen allows you to read the signal not only from your finger. The resistive screen receives a signal from pressing with a pencil, a stylus, and so on.
The composition of a resistive touchscreen looks like this:
- flexible layer of plastic;
- glass.
Both components are covered with a layer of material that allows current to pass and face each other. When touch occurs, the plastic adheres to the glass and changes the resistance in this place. Such a screen is relatively cheap to make and can be used with any control object. But there are also a number of disadvantages:
- light transmittance is low;
- brightness and contrast suffer;
- fragility of materials;
- Touch reading is inaccurate.
Some portable retro consoles, such as the Nintendo DS, are produced with this type of screen. This device is based on two screens, one of which is touchscreen. It can be controlled using the included stylus.
Phantom clicks
If the screen is damaged or after replacing the sensor, it happens that the phone turns on by itself: tabs are activated, applications are launched. The sensor touches metal parts and a workshop will help you with this problem. If this occurs after repair, such items are usually replaced as part of warranty repairs. But you better check with the place where you had your smartphone repaired.
Now you know what type of screen is used on your phone and what type is used on your child’s game console. There will be something to show off during small talk or when choosing a new device. Knowledge will help you assess the risks when buying gadgets and not make a mistake. What is a touchscreen on a phone?
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