First Mirasol Ereader Axed Qualcomm Confirms

The first device to use Qualcomm's mirasol display technology has been cancelled, according to CEO Paul Jacobs. Speaking at Uplinq 2011 this week, Jacobs revealed that the device – an ereader expected to sell in low-volumes as a trial in the market for the backlight-free color epaper screen – fell short of his expectations and so the company decided to shelve it and focus on its successor.

It's unclear if Jacobs is referring to the "converged ereader" Qualcomm confirmed was in the pipeline at SID 2011 last month. Then, the company said that the 5.7-inch unit would go on sale before the end of 2011.

Jacobs also highlighted that the Japanese earthquake had impacted mirasol production, and that had pushed back availability. He also mentioned that, while mirasol's color reproduction isn't as vibrant as that of OLED panels, Qualcomm's roadmap involves heading toward that point – albeit sacrificing some battery life in the process. However, the company is unable to ramp production volume until the new fab comes online in 2012.