New technology: E-paper

According to PVI President Y.S. Fu: "It's a niche product right now but we think it will become popular gradually.”

E-paper is composed of a thin sheet of steel topped with a layer of circuits and a thin film of digital ink and, having no backlights like traditional LCD screens, is much more flexible.

E-paper is already present in the market in the form of handheld e-books, which are able to download and display hundreds of books via the Internet.

The widespread use of e-paper in electronic gadgets or to replace some forms of more traditional media such as books, magazines and newspapers is uncertain. However, the development of this technology is piquing investors’ curiosity and will likely continue to be much anticipated and watched.

With the increase in newspaper websites, a means to connect and update e-paper through online news sites could provide another evolution for newspaper companies.

But with a new technology that is only gradually becoming popular, as admitted by PVI President Y.S. Fu, and an industry that is working overtime to adapt to the relatively fast changes posed by the Internet, significant developments involving newspapers and e-paper is not likely to happen for quite a while.

 Source: Reuters