For many manufacturers "smearing" is a big issue as they move to a new generation of OLED and LED display technology driven by new touch screen software similar to what Apple have with their iPhone and iPod Touch devices. 

Now scientists at UniPixel, a US based company have discovered ways to pattern microstructures on plastic film that make fingerprints invisible.

A sample piece of the OPCUITYTM FPR film which was distributed at a recent Display Conference in the USA allowed visitors overlay it on the screen.  The screen which can be applied to a notebook or mobile phone will eliminate the need to constantly use a cleaning cloth to wipe a screen.

David Barnes, an Analyst at the Conference said "The key learning for me was how investments in display technology can spin-off products for other applications. Besides generating more revenue, earlier, for start ups, spin-out products may increase demand for displays. Qualcomm and other firms are showing new types of displays for handheld applications this week. Other firms are demonstrating components for tough panels. Demand for tough-screen displays may increase if our fingerprints disappear".