Two of China’s technology firms have launched the world’s first-ever graphene phones, beating other huge international brands in the tough smartphone market.
On March 2, Moxi and Galapad technology companies jointly put on sale the first 30,000 units of graphene phones. The revolutionary tech gadget is available in China's Chongqing municipality.
According to the producers, incorporating graphene in a smartphone makes touchscreens more responsive to the user's movements. Moreover, this material is seen to prolong battery life by 50 percent, a huge advantage over other brands.
Developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the graphene phones can be bought for 2,499 yuan ($406). It utilizes the popular and user-friendly Android system.
Graphene, a single-layered, honeycomb-patterned carbon atoms, has been eyed by many scientists throughout the world to be used in mobile gadget technology. The material was first isolated back in 2004 by a research team led by Nobel Prize awardee Kostya Novoselov.
According to Novoselov, graphenes "will serve as one of the keystones in supporting science, technology and innovation." It can be further utilized in food packaging and medical technology.
"Graphene is potentially a game-changer--its properties make it one of the most important commercial scientific breakthroughs in recent memory," U.K. chancellor George Osborne enthused.
Currently, China is the world's leader in mass-producing graphene films for mobile phone and computer touchscreens.
In 2013, a Chongqing-based production line went into operation. The line is capable of producing tens of millions of such films annually, a significant amount that can be utilized for creating huge numbers of graphene smartphone units.