Could transparent devices put an end to ‘phone zombies’?

IFA GPC 2015, Malta: Chinese brand ZTE hints at a see-through smartphone

It won’t cure the devastating diseases like Blackberry Thumb or Smartphone Pinky, but could a transparent phone end the collisions between people distracted by their mobile devices?

Phone Zombies

If you’ve been anywhere near an airport or train station in the last five years, you’ll know the problem; legions of ‘phone zombies’ with their heads tilted downwards, pace slowed, oblivious to surroundings. We all hate it and, scandalously, we’ve all done it, too.

Eureka moment?

Speaking at the IFA Grand Press Conference 2015 ahead of September’s exhibition in Berlin – a hotbed of travel tech – Waiman Lam, Senior Director of Technology and Partnership at Chinese phone makers ZTE Mobile Devices, showed a video that hinted at a future where transparent screens would let people operate and watch video on their devices while also being able to look where they’re going. Eureka! It’s sure better than wearing a crash helmet.

Safety first

Could transparent tech make places like Shibuya train station in Tokyo and every hub airport safe again? Possibly, but ZTE has more down-to-Earth plans for travel tech, too. ZTE also showed-off its ZTE Star 2 and Blade 6 phones as well as the innovative ZTE SPRO 2 Android projector that caught our eye back in January at the International CES.

IFA 2015 will take place from 4-9 September 2015