Apple to Add Micro Projectors to iPhone and iPod Touch?

[MacRumors]

In a brief note, DigiTimes reports that Taiwanese firm Foxlink is currently developing micro projectors for use in mobile phones, with Apple being one of the companies expected to launch devices with built-in projectors later this year. The projectors would allow the iPhone and possibly the iPod touch to directly project video output onto an external surface.

International brand vendors, including Nokia, Samsung Electronics and Apple, reportedly all plan to launch handsets with built-in micro projectors by the end of this year, indicated the sources, adding that Foxlink is likely to benefit from the emerging trend due to its strong business relationships with Nokia and Apple.

Foxlink has long been a supplier for the iPhone and iPod, providing the proprietary connectors used in many of Apple's devices.

Micro projectors are just making their way into phones, although the resulting products are relatively bulky by mobile phone standards. Introduction of a new iPhone containing a micro projector by the end of this year would also be a significant deviation from Apple's usual product cycle that has seen the company release new iPhone models on a yearly basis each June or July.

Article Link: Apple to Add Micro Projectors to iPhone and iPod Touch?

[talkingfuture]

That would be cool, don't know how much I would use it but it would be impressive.

[Don't panic]

it seems something that would make more sense as an accessory, rather than a built in feature.

[Lesser Evets]

I would like to see what this really means.

There hasn't been a projector I have met which was worth more than hand full of pennies. Projection TVs-garbage. Video projectors-laughable. Xenon bulb movie projectors-good enough, but touchy and have troubles lurking up constantly needing persistent maintenance.

[Josso]

As long as the price don't go up, I'm on it.

[Niko03]

Adding bulk to the iPhone? Not likely going to happen.
(just think about the battery sucking capabilities of a projector, even a small LED one.)

Mid year product?
I'm sure this will go into the rumored iTablet.

[peterdevries]

Although definitely cool, I don't see this happening in the next iPhone, Touch release next year.

AFAIK the tech is not yet mature enough and wouldn't fit in the form factor of the devices.

[Sambo110]

These devices are getting so much stuff in them, it's amazing they can all fit in. What will be added next.

[Schtumple]

Why would you need a really crappy projector in a phone/portable media player, seriously, the whole in built projector thing is such a gimmick...

[Warbrain]

So pointless in a phone and especially pointless in an iPod.

Build it into a notebook and we'll talk.

[Donz0r]

I don't see this happening this year. The iPod touch is way too thin to fit something like this in, and they're not going to make it thicker for this. Plus, these picoprojectors are too 'gimmicky' for apple imo. we'll see what happens though.

[eawmp1]

Actually next year they will have 3D holographic projection so we can all walk around in a world of our choosing (tangerine trees and marmalade skies)!

[B1gMac]

I would only really want this if it was implemented very well. Fortunately, Apple has a lot of good insight about when to implement maturing technologies without cheapening the product.

[The Phazer]

Originally Posted by Don't panic

it seems something that would make more sense as an accessory, rather than a built in feature.

Agreed - as a dock attachment, I could totally see it, and it'd be very cool and useful.

As an integrated part of the phone that uses a ton of power and adds considerable bulk? No.

Phazer

[Philoman]

Micro projection would not be a bad idea for MacBooks either bult-in or having a micro projector device to plug-in via USB connection.

[edesignuk]

meh, seems pointless. It'll add bulk, use power etc, and for what? 1 in a 1,000 might use it once in a while.

Much better as an accessory.

Micro projector in the back of a laptop...now that could be useful.

[iOrlando]

meh...would be a "neat" feature..but not something to pay alot for or upgrade for or crave for.

i doubt apple would want that...seems like something other phones would want....tons features with little practicality.

[Diane2boys]

.

[Mal]

If it's like the ShowWX Pico projector, then I can see it being really nice. That's a laser-based projector, so it's always in focus and looks really good (my dad and one of his friends saw it at MacWorld and more recently at Projection Summit here in Orlando). It can actually do a 100" screen, depending on the lighting in the room (the distance from the surface and the size of the screen are on a 1:1 ratio, so if you position it 100" from the surface you're projecting onto, you get a 100" display). I can see Apple including it, but only if they can get reasonable battery life while using it (2-3 hours) and without increasing the size of the device, at least by much. However, I can see both of those being possible if they use the same type of projector as the ShowWX, because it's small enough to fit and it runs off a similar battery as the iPhone for about 4-5 hours.

jW

[kingtj]

The key to this is, waiting until the technology advances enough to make it work well.

It will be a useless gimmick if they cram something in there by the end of this year, just to say it can project.

But this has a promising future, as they address issues like power consumption, projection brightness and physical size. An iPhone with integrated projection capabilities would be GREAT for things like sharing a video or movie with others - or just for anyone who'd rather watch the content on a larger screen. (Imagine taking it to a hotel and simply aiming the iPhone at a white wall, to watch a movie you saved on it?)

It'd also be popular for doing presentations, I'd imagine. Just sync your Powerpoint content to your phone and take it with you to a meeting....

Originally Posted by Schtumple

Why would you need a really crappy projector in a phone/portable media player, seriously, the whole in built projector thing is such a gimmick...

[brasscat]

Apple being one of the companies expected to launch devices with built-in projectors later this year.

...Written by someone who doesn't understand Apple or the level of quality of these micro projectors. Tiny projectors have a useless 10 or 20 lumens and a very small projection area. No way Apple would spare precious space inside the iPhone for this highly unnecessary poorly functioning feature less than half of their customers would ever have an interest in.

[mr_matalino]

I don't see Apple doing this. It seems cool but I don't think I would use something like this very often, if at all...

[Warbrain]

I think it would be entirely unlike Apple to do this. Built-in projectors are going to be gimmicky and pointless unless in a notebook where having it for presentations and such could be worthwhile.

[barkomatic]

There's no way a mini projector will make its way onto the iphone and ipod touch this year--as a built in feature. So far, "micro" means 3/4 inch thick device--and that's just for the projector unit itself. Look for this in July of 2014. lol

Perhaps sold separately for $500.

[andiwm2003]

BS

apple would never do this unless the technology allows it to be as small as the current camera. even then it would be a waste of space and battery because 99% of customers would never use it.

more likely the "projector" is a simple flash for the camera.