Next-Generation iPhone to Use Thinner In-Cell Technology for Multi-Touch Display?

[MacRumors]

Taiwan's Central News Agency reports on comments from DisplaySearch analyst David Hsieh, who believes that Apple is planning to use new "in-cell" display technology from Japanese manufacturers in the next-generation iPhone. The move would benefit suppliers such as Sony, Sharp, and Toshiba, which currently lead the industry in the technology.

Compared with on-cell technology, touch panels that use in-cell technology can be made thinner because the touch sensors are actually placed inside the color filters rather than on top of them, he explained.

At present, Taiwan's TPK Holding Co. and Wintek Corp., which supply touch panels to Apple, use mainly on-cell technology in their products, according to the two companies.

The occasionally-reliable Digitimes is reporting similar claims based on "sources in Apple's supply chain", indicating that improvements in yield rates for the in-cell panels have made it feasible for Apple to use the technology in its products. According to the report, Sharp and Toshiba will be ramping up their production of in-cell panels this quarter.

Article Link: Next-Generation iPhone to Use Thinner In-Cell Technology for Multi-Touch Display?

[gregwyattjr]

I'm so friggin excited to get this new iPhone.

[Menopause]

That sounds lovely. Probably will make room for a bigger battery.

As it was with the "home button gone" iPad 3 — I'll believe it when I see it

[basesloaded190]

Everything rumored so far has pointed to either a major redesign and/or much thinner phone. Either way, I am stoked and can't wait see what happens.

[HarryKeogh]

Cool, I guess.

I qualify my "cool" just because whenever I use my iPhone the last thing I ever think is "Man, I wish this thing was thinner."

My 40-year-old eyes are just hoping the 4" screen rumors are true (and I'm pretty sure they are).

[Mad Mac Maniac]

October can't come fast enough!

[jclardy]

This plus slightly larger screen plus liquid metal casing would be a pretty sweet upgrade.

[ikeywah]

I'm glad that all 3 companies innovating or leading this technology are Japanese.
Japan needs the support in recent times.

[dashiel]

Originally Posted by HarryKeogh

Cool, I guess.

I qualify my "cool" just because whenever I use my iPhone the last thing I ever think is "Man, I wish this thing was thinner."

My 40-year-old eyes are just hoping the 4" screen rumors are true (and I'm pretty sure they are).

While the thinness of the device is cool, what I think is really cool is the thing you “touch” is going to get closer to your finger. Seems perhaps a minor detail, but increasing the illusion of tactile response is far more interesting to me than throwing in a quad core processor. This along with reducing the response time is going to be amazing.

[hajime]

I am afraid that the iPhone 5 will probably won't be available in May.

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Originally Posted by hajime

I am afraid that the iPhone 5 will probably won't be available in May.

of course it won't....

It will be sept-oct, period.

I'd maybe give a 8% chance of august, and a 1% chance of july.

[HiVolt]

I just hope they dont keep making them thinner for the sake of thinness.

If the LCD is thinner, i just hope they put a larger battery.

[AustinIllini]

Originally Posted by HiVolt

I just hope they dont keep making them thinner for the sake of thinness.

If the LCD is thinner, i just hope they put a larger battery.

I don't care how thin they make it as long as they don't let the other important facets of the experience suffer

[HiVolt]

Originally Posted by AustinIllini

I don't care how thin they make it as long as they don't let the other important facets of the experience suffer

Well, for me a handheld device suffers if it's too thin to hold comfortably, safely. Like the iPod touch for example. Thats just way too thin for my liking. not to mention Apple keeps using very slippery materials with very little grip.

[fertilized-egg]

Originally Posted by HarryKeogh

My 40-year-old eyes are just hoping the 4" screen rumors are true (and I'm pretty sure they are).

It depends on how they increase the diagonal though. If they do it the way some have speculated by increasing only the height, it won't help your eyes at all, only the feeling the screen is larger.

The article doesn't say this, but apparently in-cell can also help with reducing the size of bezel so that might go well with the old "edge-to-edge" rumor.

[ChrisTX]

Originally Posted by hajime

I am afraid that the iPhone 5 will probably won't be available in May.

When has it ever been available in May?

[BJMRamage]

1mm thinner-
more or less?

[Sackvillenb]

Cool, thinner is handy. Not a deal breaker for me, I don't need anorexic devices, but more portability is not a bad thing. But the article doesn't say how much of a difference this might actually make?

[ghostface147]

Originally Posted by Mad Mac Maniac

of course it won't....

It will be sept-oct, period.

I'd maybe give a 8% chance of august, and a 1% chance of july.

I'd give 0% on both.

[Grannyville7989]

I wonder if this can run halo 2?!?

[zorinlynx]

Isn't the iPhone already thin enough?

I don't see what making it even thinner would accomplish. In fact, a thinner iPhone may actually be harder to hold comfortably in your hand at this point.

[arctic]

Another iPhone rumor? It's not even May yet. Where oh where are the Mac news?

[ctdonath]

Originally Posted by BJMRamage

1mm thinner-more or less?

That would make the phone 10% thinner, or free up 10% of current volume for more battery. Dunno how thick the battery is, but that extra millimeter alone would gain something like 20-30% more run time.

[Mad-B-One]

Well, it looks like it's going to be an October start. That fould fit nicely. I bought the iPhone 4 the day Verizon got it and it is eligible for an upgrade in October. Now, despite all the new gimmics like this one, I really hope there will be a slightly bigger screen and some more battery life. Not that the battery life is bad - compared to competition it's actually good, but compared to "dumb phones," well, you can't compare that. My work "dumb phone" stays charged for about 2 weeks with occasional calls and is charged withing 2h. I know that we won't get there, but more than 2 days with calls and app use would be great. So, in other words: My hope is that Apple uses the space they can save for better batteries. I don't want a thin-as-can-be phone just to find out the battery life is compromised.

[k1121j]

How much thinner can a display get and still be tough enough to make a difference?