If there’s one feature we’re all anticipating for the iPad 3, it’s a Retina display. We’ve become accustomed to high-resolution displays on our mobile devices since Apple first introduced the Retina display to the iPhone and the iPod touch, and we all want one on the iPad 3.
According to one report, the third-generation device will indeed boast a 2048 x 1536 resolution display, but LG and Samsung are struggling to produce enough of them to meet Apple’s demands.
Sources for CNET claim that Apple certainly has plans to introduce a better display to its iPad 3 — with a PPI of 264; double that of the iPad 2 — but the struggle will be getting manufacturers to make them in the huge volumes that Apple demands.
“They have production plans for 2,048×1,536 displays. Starting in November. But those are only plans at this point,” said the source, referring to LG and Samsung.
“It’s not a question of making just one. That, of course, can be done. The challenge is making lots of them,” the source said. “This is a quantum leap in pixel density. This hasn’t been done before.”
What’s interesting is that CNET’s source indicates Apple does have a backup option: a 1600 x 1200 resolution display. It’s not quite a Retina display, but it does boast a higher resolution that that currently features in Apple’s iPad 2, and could be built into the iPad 3 if LG and Samsung cannot make enough 2048 x 1536 resolution displays.
However, using this fallback display may be out of question for Apple, as MacRumors notes:
Such a move would seem to run counter to Apple’s strategy for increasing display resolution, as it would not be a clean multiple of the current 1024 x 768 display and would thus cause issues for developers who have already produced apps for the current iPad models.
Of course, Apple’s other plan may be to delay the Retina display until the fourth-generation device and use the same display it currently uses in the iPad 2 in the iPad 3. Though this will undoubtedly make for some unhappy customers.
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
18 responses to “LG & Samsung Struggle to Meet Apple’s Demands for iPad 3 Retina Display [Report]”
samsung and lg, get your *@#!& act together
i think it’s intentional on samsung’s part.
Why only LG and Samsung?? Why dont Apple collaborate with other manufacturers like Toshiba, Sharp or Hitachi?? This is just stupid. 132 ppi on iPad 3 would be a scandal.
This is most unpleasant news :( I HATE SAMSUNG!!!!!
Whoever hate SAMSUNG are Istupid and imoron…
If there’s no ADVANCE TECHNOLOGY from CPU,gnu,screen,NAND, etc , DO YOU THINK WE HAVE BETTER APPLE PRODUCTS NOW???
Design is great but the internal components are critical…
Tim cook just talk to SAMSUNG executives after jobs burial and will be using more SAMSUNG parts as NO ONE in planet earth can make a great quality parts-ONLY SAMSUNG…
I hear so much about the potential of a retina display on the ipad, but I am terrified that it will kill the battery life. Those higher-resolution displays require so much more juice than their less-beautiful peers. I know Apple is good at battery life (generally), but there is only so much battery they can shove into these things before they get bulky, something anathema to Apple’s mobile products. I wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung and LG are holding out on these because Apple is holding out. Let someone else go first, with a tablet-sized Super AMOLED screen, or whatnot. Put it on the Xoom3, I don’t care. The ipad3 will look good and it will sell well, with or without a retina display. I vote for without.
http://www.cultofmac.com/10198…
Apple has managed to double the processor speed, cores, and bump the graphics speed up by 9x. People worried about battery life for all of these technical improvements, but it seems they are able to keep up with battery life by either increasing efficiency or improving the battery technology itself.
With a screen rez so high, greater processing power is a must. Prolly won’t be quad core, I suppose….
I might believe this if it wasn’t such a classic tabloid move. My guess is that there was never any plan to put a “retina display” on the iPad but rather than admit they were wrong and look a little dumb either CNET or their source is claiming that it is actually production issues knowing that neither LG nor Samsung will refute it and risk pissing off Apple by revealing a product detail ahead of time.
the iPhone needs a crazy dpi to make the smaller screen still look crisp. not so for the iPad so a 1200p screen is more than enough.