The current display technology used in most consumer electronic devices, such as televisions, monitors, and mobile devices, is based on the additive color model, which combines three primary colors: red, green, and blue (RGB). By varying the intensities of these three primary colors, a wide range of colors can be achieved. This approach is known as trichromacy.
While it is technically possible to create displays that can emit a broader range of wavelengths, there are several practical limitations and trade-offs involved. Here are a few reasons why displays with more than three primary colors are not commonly used:
Complex design and cost: Implementing a display with a larger number of primary colors would require more complex hardware design and manufacturing processes. This complexity would lead to increased production costs, making such displays less practical and affordable for consumer applications.
Compatibility and content limitations: Displaying a broader range of colors would require content creators to produce content specifically designed for these displays. Currently, most visual content, such as images, videos, and games, are designed with the RGB color model in mind. Adapting the existing content ecosystem to support a larger color gamut would be a significant challenge.
Limited benefits for human perception: The human visual system is trichromatic, meaning it has three types of color receptors (cones) that are primarily sensitive to red, green, and blue light. This sensitivity forms the basis of the RGB color model. Expanding the number of primary colors beyond what our eyes can perceive would provide diminishing returns in terms of perceived image quality.
That being said, there are alternative display technologies under development that aim to achieve wider color gamuts, such as Quantum Dot displays and OLED displays with additional color filters. These technologies aim to improve color reproduction and expand the range of achievable colors while still using the RGB color model as a foundation.
In summary, while it is technically possible to create displays with more than three primary colors, there are practical limitations and trade-offs that make the current RGB-based approach more suitable for consumer applications. Advances in display technology continue to explore ways to improve color reproduction and expand the achievable color gamuts within the existing RGB framework.