Sources have told The Japan Times that Sharp is likely to supply its Free-Form Display (Display Monitor Vol 21 No 25) to Nintendo.
The FFD has a minimal bezel and does not need to be rectangular; the first concepts shown had areas ‘cut out’ to make room for automotive dials and displays. While traditional LCD screens require a minimum bezel width to accommodate the drive circuit (aka the gate driver), the FFD disperses the gate driver’s function throughout the pixels on the display area.
Nintendo would use the display in its next handheld console, replacing the 3DS, said the sources, or for a new product to map sleep quality. The console may be doughnut shaped, with a hole at the centre.
We had originally heard (Display Monitor Vol 21 No 26) that mass production of the Free-Form Display would begin in 2017, although late 2016 now looks more likely.
