Does panel type affect haptic experience? An empirical comparison of touch screen panels for smartphones

As touch screens have become one of the most prevalent means of navigating mobile devices, various types of touch screen panels, including resistive overlay, capacitive overlay, surface acoustic wave, and infrared beam panels, have been developed to meet users’ increasing need for a more intuitive and interactive touch-based experience. This study examines whether these touch screen panels have distinctive effects on user perception. Data from a between-subjects experiment (N = 80) in which participants were exposed to four panels indicate that the panel type has a significant effect on users’ perceived sense of control, ease of use, satisfaction, and viewing quality.