3D technology has offered a new and fresh way to view images and use your phone. HTC and LG have released phones that utilise the glasses free 3D technology with the HTC Evo 3D and LG Optimus 3D. These are currently the only 3D phones available several markets. So what are the benefits of having a 3D smartphone?

Video

Both phones feature dual cameras allowing them to record 3D video at an excellent 720p quality. You are not forced to use 3D though, and both phone cameras allow you to record 2D videos as well. The Optimus 3D is a little better in this regard allowing you to capture excellent 1080p quality video, while the Evo 3D is still limited to 720p for 2D.

Stereoscopic Photos

The cameras are also great for photos too and both devices offer wonderful depth to create the 3D images we are getting more and more familiar with. The Optimus has a dual 5mp camera set up and can take 3D images in 3 megapixels. These pictures are at a decent resolution and offer plenty of depth and so are great to look at. The HTC has a similar lens set up though it takes photos at 2mp in 3D. These are also quite nice but are visibly not as good as those captured on the Optimus.

Screen

Both devices use 4.3 inch screens that incorporate parallax barrier technology to create the 3D images that we see. This involves layering two images over each other with slightly different viewing angles to create a 3D effect. The Optimus 3D does have a visibly brighter screen than the HTC though and so offers a better image in bright conditions, although the Evo 3D has a superior screen resolution with qHD compared to the Optimus’ WVGA.

Switch

The two phones also come with switches to turn the 3D on and off. Unfortunately this is a necessary option as the phones can be hard to look at in 3D for a long period. The 3D technology also eats the battery up and so it is advisable to switch the 3D off unless you have a power source at hand.

When viewed as 3D cameras the Optimus and Evo don’t offer as good of an experience as 3D dedicated cameras. However this is the case with most cameras on phones when compared to digital cameras. Both however offer a far better sweet spot for 3D viewing than the Nintendo 3DS and can be viewed at a fairly wide angle comfortably. They also come with all the benefits of Android phones but with a unique selling point in the form of their 3D screens. 3D screens can certainly be an enjoyable experience, but it will remain to be seen if they become more popular or just remain a flash in the pan fad.