Rumor: Apple’s iTablet Adds OLED Display, Delays Launch Until Late 2010

Ed Sutherland ()

gizmodo_apple_tablet

Apple’s mythical tablet computer reportedly will be delayed because the Cupertino, Calif. company has added a second model with an OLED display, pushing an expected March 2010 launch date to later next year. The report by a Tiawan hardware news site cites anonymous Apple partners.

The company “has decided to switch some components and plans to launch a model using a 9.7-inch OLED panel from LG Display,” according to Digitimes. The OLED panel would be in addition to a 10.6-inch TFT LCD display. LG Display reportedly has a $500 million panel purchasing contract with Apple.

The OLED version of the suspected tablet would cost between $1,200 to $1,500 and retail for about $2,000. Carriers might subsidize the price might lower the cost for consumers. The original LCD version would cost between $800 to $1,000, according to the report.

Some have discounted the new wrinkle, saying such a rumored tablet would be available only at the Atlantis Apple store and sold by unicorns. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said Thursday investors are concentrating “more on whether the tablet is real and less on timing.” The analyst termed “irrelevant” speculation that an expected first quarter 2010 introduction of an Apple tablet would slip.

In a note to investors, Munster believes the tablet would cost between $500 and $700. A $600 price tag would mean $1.2 billion for Apple, according to Munster. The analyst wrote Apple could sell 650,000 units in 2010 if a tablet were to launch Sept. 1 of next year. The analyst earlier predicted 2 million tablets would sell its first year and be introduced in early 2010.

However, despite the uncertainty of if or when Apple will introduce a tablet device, others are preparing for its introduction. Publisher Conde Nast is creating a version of Wired and eventually all of the firm’s 18 titles by mid-2010. Apple reportedly had been talking with publishers about having content ready for when the tablet launches.

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Along with content from the print magazine, the tablet versions will be able to import videos and allow readers to submit items to social-networking platforms, such as Facebook or Twitter. Conde Nast hopes to be able to charge readers and price their advertising equal to the print versions. This wouldn’t be the first Apple device for which the publisher has developed content. An iPhone version of GQ is available.

[9to5Mac, iClarified, AppleInsider]

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About the author

Ed Sutherland

Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.

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  • AnonymousAppleStalker

    Does this mean that Leander is going to do another series on Tablet concepts from 15 year olds with no life and mediocre video editing skills? Just wondering.

    Still love ya Leander! No hard feelings.

  • Bejn

    I had to post this!

    Myth 1: OLED is a great display technology for mobile devices

    First off, Microsoft gave the Zune HD a new OLED display. OLED is an interesting new technology that uses a layer of electroluminescent organic compounds, rather than the inorganic materials used in traditional LCDs, to produce an image. OLED panels don’t require a backlight, so they can render true blacks and provide a higher contrast ratio.

    However, today’s OLED panels are much dimmer than standard issue LCDs: a typical maximum output of 200cd/m^2 compared to around 4-500 for mid-range LCDs. OLED also performs considerably worse in bright light because OLED is 100% emissive rather than being partially transflective.

    A good quality LCD actually uses ambient light to make its image brighter and more vibrant; OLED does not. This means when you take it outside, the OLED’s screen is completely washed out by sunlight. Unless you only plan to use your mobile device in your dark basement, you don’t want one of today’s OLED screens, particularly on a mobile media player that you might expect to use on the go in various environments.
    _____

    But now OLED is the bestest thing since sliced bread!

    Nah, but I’m glad that Apple is choosing OLED. It’s really as great as they advertise!

    Cheers

  • Charli

    to me an OLED is not an item ready for such devices. too pricey. I have to agree with the $500-800 price points, assuming this device is real. fitting in between the phone and the macbook makes more sense than competing with the laptops. what was it that Jobs said about netbooks. when they could make one that wasn’t a piece of junk then they might do it. well a multitouch 9-10″ portable that is a video ipod, netbook, e-reader and capable of running rescaled apps from the apps store. with both wifi and usage optional unlocked 3g service (perhaps even both GSM and CDMA capable) sounds like a device that would fit ‘not junk’ enough that folks would pay for it.

  • http://www.islate.org Apple Tablet

    It needs to stay below the $800 price tag for people to add it to their laptop and desktop collect. If the functionality is good enough so people can replace their laptop then people might be willing to pay above a $1000.