Poll: Can HTC go back to resistive screens for their high-end devices?

October 11, 2009 | By Surur

With the advent of the HTC HD2 and its capacitive screen, which offers a superior (if less accurate) touch experience, the question arises whether another high-end device without the technology will be tolerated again.

Previously the excuse that Windows Mobile 6.5 does not support capacitive screens sufficed for most, but clearly this is no longer a barrier, and obviously will be less so in the future, with further touch enhancements in Windows Mobile 6.5.1.

We have been privileged this year to know HTC’s 2009 line up in detail, and the only device from that list still to arrive is the HTC Thoth, HTC’s HTC Advantage replacement. Another rumoured device is the HTC Omni, but this device is of course much less certain.

Will these devices be upgraded to capacitive, or will HTC release them with resistive screens (and likely to lower sales)?

Take part in our poll and let us know how you feel in the comments.

[poll id="11"]

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged capacitive screens, htc hd2, htc leo, htc thoth

moneytoo

I need resistive screen (for things like VNC, adventure games in SCUMMVM, working with worksheets…).
Why is there no option for resistive screens?
Wesley

What about the HTC Superstar with an Nvidia Tegra chip inside. I am waiting impatiently for that. Hopefully will be out soon with a capacitive screen and lots of ram just like the HD2.
ThT

"which offers a superior (if less accurate) touch experience"
This is not true, capacitive screens are far more accurate then resistive ones, it's just the manner at which you operate them (With your fingers, obviously) that makes them less accurate.
That said, there are several capacitive stylusses, so that's not much of a problem either.

I'm saying, either you get that fancy Stantum Resistive tech (Y'know, the one with multi-touch) or you stick with capacitive and give us those magnetic stylusses you've patented recently.
aleis

its obvious winmo is OFFICIALLY back. all thanks to capacitive touch. not MULTItouch!
i think from this point on ALL manufacturers will use capacitive on winmo…or let me say, HTC will not be the ONLY manufacturer that uses capacitive on winmo.
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY TOUCH HD2!
http://intensedebate.com/people/Foamy Foamy

I have yet to use a capacitive screen enough to really know which i prefer. All i know is that i really like being able to use a fingernail or having a stylus included in the phone. I think the best thing HTC could do would be to get that multi-touch resistive technology into a phone.

If you look at the latest resistive and capacitive screens then resistive is so much better. the trouble is that the current technology being used is so far behind.
http://intensedebate.com/people/mohsen7x8 mighty

if that capactive screen compatible stylus is out, there will be no problem at all
Nitaino

Same page as Wesley (lol). October already and Where is nVidia Tegra device by HTC? huh maybe for WM7
Murdats

I hate not being able to use my fingernail on capacitive screens, you have half the precision of the stylus with half the convenience of the thumb.

the capacitive screen though can be on a glass surface so your device can be a bit more sturdy but thats about it

what I would prefer is a capacitive style screen that wouldn't work in my pocket but that would work with my fingernail, damn you physics
Adam

Just waiting for thoth!!! Hope they didnt drop it. HD2 isnt big enough for some and too big for others.
rico

i don't care about screen tech as long as it's responsive, accurate, and allows me to use a stylus with accuracy. The one thing i like about capacitive screens is the ability for glass screens, which greatly reduces the need for a screen protector. i'm guessing the HD2 does not have a glass screen as it's never been explicitly mentioned. i also believe that the size of the screen is due in part to WM 6.x's smaller screen elements, creating the need for a larger area to reliably use, even with capacitive.

Multitouch is a gimmick at worst or a matter of preference at best on smartphones. i prefer one-handed usage, personally, so multitouch is out. When multiouch gestures get more advanced and can offer real productivity benefits, i'll be interested. i'm guessing that's something Apple will introduce but Microsoft could very well have some tricks up it's sleeve with Windows Phone 7. Apple made multitouch popular with the iPhone, and improved on it on the Macbooks but haven't brought any such improvements to the iPhone.
http://www.avianwaves.com Parrotlover77

"resistive screens (and likely to lower sales)"

HUH? What possible evidence do you have for this assertion? Pre has a capacitive screen and it's not selling at all.

1. Resistive does NOT perclude multitouch
2. Capacitive does NOT ensure accuracy
3. Resistive has better PRECISION than capacitive (right now) which is essential for precise pointing (the VNC example above is a good one)
4. Resistive allows the use of any object to activate screen
5. High end resistive screens have just as good sensitivity as high end capacitive screens
6. The issue is not capacitive versus resistive, but HIGH END versus LOW END. The fact is that there are some cheap ass resistive screens (due to the decision to use old cheap tech instead of expensive new tech). There don't seem to be any low end capacitive screens yet. High end resistive screens (with multitouch) exist and kick ass.

It's articles like this that make WMPowerUser look absolutely NOT any better than the other phone blogs. I expect a misinformed, inaccurate, highly speculative, stupid article like this from CNet and some other Apple obsessed rag.
http://www.avianwaves.com Parrotlover77

Oh yea, I forgot to mention. This "poll" is one of the silliest loaded push polls I've ever seen. And that's saying a lot considering the highly silly, innacurate, and loaded polls I've seen on the interwebs!
Baz

Well,I didn't bother waiting for the HD2 because of it having no stylus….no stylus,no buy….it ain't windows mobile without a stylus to me.

The 4 device's I've had with flush screen's have all had utter crap screen sensitivity [3 HTC's,1 acer],especially the side's and corner's….my old Flame and XDAII require about a third as much pressure to register touch with stylus,so either being flush screened changes something or they're using worse quality hardware since then.

I really want to see someone using remote desktop with an HD2.
Darren

I voted for "I don't care", but really wanted to vote for missing option 3 – prefer resistive. If everything becomes capacitive, using fingers and big buttons, them I'm definitely switching to WM Standard for my next phone.
Jeff

I can't think of a single way that capicitive is superior. Styluses are insanely expensive for them and I need the accuracy a stylus gives to work with remote desktop, web pages, and text entry using handwriting. Further my skin lacks the proper amount of capacitance and just doesn't work will with them. I find that on an iPhone, I have to smush my finger flat to get enough surface area in contact with the screen for it to register my presence. None of this lightly touching with the fingertip works for me. If all phones go to capacitive screens, I may have to just give up on owning a phone entirely.
John

I didn't vote because there was no option for voting for resistive screen. The inability of being able to use something other than your finger is a negative of capactive screens.
tazbo

htc hd2 is resistive. enagdet has a photo of the phone with the screen off and you can see the dot matrix in the reflection that is indicative of a resistive display. the iphone screen does not have this under reflection. my old att tilt did. research the tech and youll understand why those dots are needed. i think people were bamboozled here. sorry to burst all your bubbles.