TCL has introduced new devices to its NXTPAPER product line, including the NXTPAPER 70 Pro smartphone and the Note A1 NXTPAPER tablet. These devices integrate specialized displays designed for visual comfort.
Concurrently, the company announced the development of AMOLED NXTPAPER display technology, intended to combine the eye comfort features of existing NXTPAPER screens with high-performance visuals.
NXTPAPER Display Technology Evolution
TCL's new AMOLED NXTPAPER display technology aims to integrate the eye comfort features of its existing NXTPAPER screens with enhanced visual performance. This development is designed to address identified limitations of current LCD-based NXTPAPER displays, such as brightness, outdoor visibility, and color dullness.
Technical demonstrations indicate that AMOLED NXTPAPER displays are projected to achieve a brightness of 3,200 nits, a significant increase from the 900 nits reported for the existing NXTPAPER 70 Pro smartphone. Other projected specifications include 120Hz refresh rates, 100 percent color gamut coverage, and a blue light reduction capability as low as 2.9 percent, which represents a 15 percent improvement over current NXTPAPER displays. TCL plans to launch a smartphone featuring AMOLED NXTPAPER technology by the end of the year.
The current NXTPAPER series features full-color displays capable of transitioning to a monochrome, e-paper mode. This functionality is intended for activities such as reading or sketching. These displays are engineered with features like reduced light reflections and enhanced blue light purification.
NXTPAPER 70 Pro Smartphone
The newly introduced NXTPAPER 70 Pro smartphone features a 6.9-inch NXTPaper 4.0 display, which provides a textured, matte finish. The device offers three distinct display modes:
- Color Paper: Functions as a standard full-color display for general content consumption.
- Ink Paper & Max Ink: These modes provide e-paper color reproduction options, designed to reduce battery consumption and optimize the display for content such as e-books and web articles. Max Ink Mode also functions as a focus mode and minimalist launcher.
These display modes are accessible via a dedicated NXTPAPER Key on the device.
The smartphone is equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset and a 5,200mAh battery. RAM specifications are reported as 8GB by one source, while another states "up to 16GB." The NXTPAPER 70 Pro features a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization and carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. It integrates Android’s Gemini tools and TCL’s own AI models, which can facilitate the conversion of handwritten notes to text when used with an optional T-Pen Stylus.
The European price for the NXTPAPER 70 Pro is €339, which is approximately $400. Availability for the device is slated to begin in February.
Note A1 NXTPAPER Tablet
TCL also debuted the Note A1 NXTPAPER tablet, which is positioned as a specialized note-taking device. It features an 11.5-inch display and runs on an MTK G100 SoC with 8GB of RAM. The display includes ink modes for reading and other content and automatically adjusts its appearance based on the active application, allowing for full-color rendition in applications like Microsoft Edge and an ink-like appearance for note-taking.
The customized Android-based operating system on the Note A1 is designed to run a select number of pre-loaded Microsoft applications, including Edge and Outlook. It does not support the Google Play Store but indicates support for web applications. A note interface includes a "circle to save" shortcut for content storage in an "Inspiration Space." The device offers Wi-Fi connectivity only, without cellular data capability, and features a physical home button.
Powering the tablet is an 8,000mAh battery. It comes with a T-Pen Pro stylus, which provides haptic feedback simulating various writing tools, and integrates AI writing and handwriting assistant tools.
The Note A1 NXTPAPER is available for pre-order, with pricing starting at $419. Discounted preorders were available through Kickstarter at $419, with delivery expected by the end of February.