projector phone

A projector phone is a smartphone with an embedded pico projector.

Pico projectors are standalone, peripheral or embedded devices that make it possible to project presentations and other media content without requiring the bulky and not particularly mobile conventional equipment. The devices, sometimes called pocket or mobile projectors, come in a variety of form factors, often connecting to a smartphone or tablet to access media and sometimes power. The projector phone is the most streamlined option because the user only has to carry a single compact device that they quite likely would have been carrying in any case, and the projector has direct access to local or streamed content.

In May 2105, Lenovo announced Smart Cast, a smartphone with an embedded pico projector module that creates a virtual touch screen for user interaction. The company demonstrated a working prototype of the device at Lenovo Tech World in Bejing. Smart Cast offers one display mode that projects the touch screen on a flat surface, such as a desk or tabletop, and one that creates a touch-enabled interface of up to 100 inches on a wall or screen.

Other examples of projector phones include Samsung’s Galaxy Beam and LG eXpo.

See a Smart Cast demo: