So, you’re excited about iPad 3 with Retina Display? Hold your horses, panel makers may not be on the same page with Apple. Per this analysis compiled by DigiTimes, display and touch panel providers are actually struggling to keep up with Apple’s ever growing appetite:
Click for larger
Apple, of course, is using 9.7-inch panels for its iPad so this DigiTimes report should be taken with a grain of salt. The company’s said to be already lining up suppliers to provide iPad 3 parts in time for a 2012 launch. Whether or not that device will sport an ultra-high resolution display remains to be seen, even with the rumor-mill ferociously calling for it. Apple is reportedly quality-testing 2048-by-1536 displays for the device from both Samsung and LG, two of the few LCD makers said to be “at ease” with highly-advanced LCD screens. Nevertheless, quality-testing is one thing and achieving high volume in mass production at acceptable yield rates is an entirely different pair of shoes. Unless, of course, Apple branches out iPad into the mass-market consumer lineup sporting regular displays and a Retina-capable model with beefed up internals aimed at pro verticals such as photography, medical, law, enterprise and so forth.The latter would price itself out of the reach of average consumers, perhaps making low-volume manufacturing attainable until the pricey high-res display technology catches on and works its way down to consumer models.
