Ynvisible Launches E-Paper Digital Signage Solution

November 15, 2022 by Dave Haynes

Portuguese e-paper display manufacturer Ynvisible has formally launched what it calls its new Digital Signage Solution, though the alarm clock visuals provided will make industry people wonder how it might be used.

The new product is being showcased this week at Electronica 2022, a trade show in Munich.

The primary value propositions are very low power consumption and low unit cost, but the trade-off is small size and media capabilities that are not much different from electronic shelf labels. They would not be alternatives to LCD, OLED or LED full video, full color solutions, but could maybe be thought of a like very modern versions of older tech that used arrays of bulbs and lit up certain ones to form numbers and letters.

The PR suggests the unit price is up to 5X less costly than “the competition” – which we can assume means E Ink.

The use-cases promoted are things like gas station pump price indicators and, perhaps a little weirdly, pickleball scoreboards. I tend to think this has more of a role in the ESL market and for things like product  fact tags in big boxes like Costco and Best Buy.

The PR for the solution reads:

This new product encompasses a simple large format e-paper display with digital and alphanumeric capabilities, that has been designed for ultra-low power applications. It enables, for example, retail outlets customized for both indoor and outdoor use, a development that is set to revolutionize on-shelf and on-pack messaging that electronic OEMs will be eager to capitalize upon.  

In today’s retail world customers are not only well informed, but they are also constantly reviewing prices across stores to get the best outcome. In the current hyper-competitive market, if a customer’s needs aren’t met, they simply take their business elsewhere—to a brand that will deliver a more positive experience. For those retailers that understand the importance of a customer-centric business model, the need for dynamic signage is paramount, but the increasing energy prices have created a demand for lower power consumption and more affordable digital signage solutions.   

“It’s no longer a matter of whether dynamic information is better than static information, but rather how dynamic information must be delivered,” says Keith Morton, VP of Sales and Marketing at Ynvisible. “Real-time displays enable retailers to show customers the information they require with maximum personalization, but until now, the availability of digital signage in-store has been cost prohibitive. In many cases the market has been mesmerized by the sophistication of state-of-the-art technology, which has proved inaccessible due to a high unit cost. Ynvisible is up to five times cheaper than the competition and we believe that dynamic information must be delivered in the most sustainable way possible, increasing positive customer opinions and saving stores money in electricity and resources.”  

Swedish digital display company Microbus Electronic Service AB agrees there is an urgent need for cost-effective large-format e-paper. “There is currently a gap in the market for technologies like Ynvisible’s Digital Signage Solution that provide clients with effective tools that fulfill all their needs for basic dynamic signage. Large format e-paper allows customers to display dynamic information easily without having to make large investments in sophisticated technologies that, frankly, are not required. In many circumstances, for example in retail stores and supermarkets, the requirement is for a thin and lightweight, battery-driven digital display with alphanumeric capabilities. This is what Ynvisible delivers,” says Jan Niskala, CEO of Microbus Electronic Service AB.