Barcelona | Red looks good on Sharp/NEC: In its first ISE appearance under the Sharp brand, the Japanese company is positioning itself at the forefront of the two digital signage trends, E-Paper and LED. The wireless E-poster, in particular, is a head-turner.
Three LED towers stand like a fortress in front of the Sharp booth, likely the tallest LED walls at the whole trade show. However, most visitors gather not in front, but behind them, drawn to a seemingly inconspicuous yet fascinating product.
Nothing flashes or moves, yet Sharp’s outdoor kiosk in poster format captures attention for a different reason. Made up of four smaller e-paper displays, it operates independently using integrated PV cells. While the frames between the displays are still quite large, development is advancing. The product is not yet market-ready, but its built-in power supply is a unique feature in outdoor displays.
Back to LED, a growing sector for Sharp/NEC—according to Tobias Augustin, Manager of Product Management at Sharp/NEC, LED sales have increased about six-fold in the past 3 to 4 years. The E-series all-in-one wall is gaining popularity, and the floor-standing version in particular has apparently made the difference for many customers, as it allows them to use one display for many rooms.
At ISE, Sharp is showcasing a 135-inch version. Unlike other providers, Sharp doesn’t deliver the LED wall with pre-assembled panels, as Tobias Augustin explains that the risk of damage during transportation is too high.
The highest-resolution product on the booth is a flip-chip display with a 0.9-millimeter pixel pitch, in the same format as traditional light boxes at airports. In the LED sector, Sharp is also planning to launch a more affordable COB series this year, demonstrating that chip-on-board technology is becoming more accessible.
All solutions at the booth now operate under the Sharp brand, since the end of the joint venture Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe is nearing. The NEC blue has completely disappeared from the booth, now only appearing in the content on the LED walls. Even the high-end models have been rebranded to Sharp. This marks the beginning of the final phase of the merger between the two Japanese companies.
