Rain Technology’s Laptop Switchable Privacy was launched recently. The company is targeting tier-one manufacturers like Apple, Dell, HP, Huawei, and Lenovo, giving their users the ability to switch between Share Mode and Privacy Mode, and control the visibility of their screens to those around them. The company is touting this product as being of particular interest to enterprises to enforce IT policies as well as for consumers to protect personal data in public spaces. It also claimed to support regulatory compliance, such as GDPR and HIPAA, but those are not technical requirements, just requirements to protect data privacy.
It is built on a patented optical stack that integrates thin optical layers within the display assembly. This technology can be applied to both the front and back of standard LCD panels, and is being developed for compatibility with OLED, and other displays as well, according to the company. The optical layers are designed to manipulate the light emitted from the backlight, allowing for precise control over the viewing angle of the display.
In Privacy Mode, these layers significantly reduce the side viewing angles, allowing as little as 0.3% screen visibility from a 45° angle, effectively protecting against visual hacking. This mode can be activated by a hardware trigger, such as a physical button, or via software, which can be tied into IT policy controls. The transition between Share Mode (full viewing angle) and Privacy Mode occurs in under a millisecond, ensuring minimal disruption to the user experience.
According to Rain, its technology maintains consistent brightness and image clarity in both modes, achieving over 1000 nits of brightness. The system also includes options for different display finishes, such as a standard black appearance or a reflective design.
