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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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iphone_5_display-150x200.jpg
The Wall Street Journal reports that Qualcomm has agreed to invest up to $120 million in Sharp as part of an effort to prop up the ailing manufacturer of displays for a wide range of electronic devices. The deal will also see the two companies working together to push Sharp's new indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) technology that has been rumored for use in a number of Apple products.
Sharp and Qualcomm will work together to develop screens based on the Japanese company's new IGZO display technology and Qualcomm's microelectromechanical systems, or MEMS, displays. The former, named for a new material used--indium gallium zinc oxide--hold several advantages over silicon-based screens, Sharp says. These latter offer promise as a lower-power alternative to today's screens.

According to Sharp, the new displays making use of the two technologies allow mobile devices to go longer between charges, provide more pixels per inch for sharper resolution and enable touch screens to be more accurate and sensitive.
The report notes that Sharp is betting on IGZO to save the company, which is in dire financial straits. Sharp is viewed as a critical partner for Apple as the iPhone maker seeks to lessen its reliance on Samsung, and there has been speculation that Apple recently structured component prepayment and equipment deals worth as much as $2 billion to help shore up Sharp's financial situation.

Article Link: Qualcomm Investing in Sharp to Push IGZO Display Technology Forward
 

apfeljonas

macrumors regular
Nov 28, 2012
151
0
Germany
I'm glad Sharp is getting these investments and they are also a display supplier to the iPhone, their screens have always been top-notch quality IMO. The TV I own from them (around 5 years old now, 720p HD) has awesome quality for the specs it has.
 

Goldmansachs

macrumors newbie
Mar 8, 2012
29
0
the new displays making use of the two technologies allow mobile devices to go longer between charges, provide more pixels per inch for sharper resolution and enable touch screens to be more accurate and sensitive.

Thank you future!
 

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
glad to know those japanese company making a come back in screen tech... it could give good competition for the koreans companies
 

Dwalls90

macrumors 603
Feb 5, 2009
5,426
4,391
Makes sense. Qualcomm needs innovative and quality phones on the market to drive sales of their chipsets. Great idea.
 

camnchar

macrumors 6502
Jan 26, 2006
434
415
Hopefully this + Apple's investments will ensure Sharp's continued existence, so we don't have to hear about its "dire financial straits" every time we read an article about it.

Reminds me of Apple in the 90s.
 

apfeljonas

macrumors regular
Nov 28, 2012
151
0
Germany
Hopefully this + Apple's investments will ensure Sharp's continued existence, so we don't have to hear about its "dire financial straits" every time we read an article about it.

Reminds me of Apple in the 90s.

Apple investments? This is Qualcomm investing...
 

bloggerblog

macrumors regular
Jun 27, 2007
103
21
In the 90's Sharp has pulled a "Samsung" and copied the Newton, so I don't think Apple would be better off with them.

The copying thing seems to be so rampant in the far east, that to them it's good business to just copy a successful product and stick their logo on it.
 

daywiz

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2012
128
0
Its a good move from Qualcomm. They have a new start-up company called Pixtronix, which is working on a rather impressive MEMS display. Utilising IGZO technology, they could push the power requirements for display to a tremendous low, making it a perfect tool for tablets ( in my anticipation - the iPAD). Qualcomm can act as multi-component supplier similar to Samsung, and give more competitive pricing. They could easily recover the cash from Apple itself :p
 

Jimrod

macrumors 65816
Jun 24, 2010
1,199
659
If they're responsible for the pissy yellow display on my iPhone 5 (and many other people's) then I hope they do go under... I expect LG are the ones responsible though as my Plasma from them had a similar tint - the difference being I could calibrate that and I can't on my phone.

And no, it's not just "warmer" or the glue setting, it's 2 months old been used plenty and measures 81% Red, 106% Green, 92% Blue. So much for the quality and colour depth being a big selling point, the colours can be as deep as the ocean but if they're wrong it's pretty redundant. :\
 

gto55

macrumors 6502a
Mar 14, 2010
650
0
Tel Aviv
what about apple ?
Sharp could a good alternative to LG's displays to avoid some problems like the white stains on some iMac models
 

Skoopman

macrumors 6502
Sep 24, 2011
318
2
In the 90's Sharp has pulled a "Samsung" and copied the Newton, so I don't think Apple would be better off with them.

The copying thing seems to be so rampant in the far east, that to them it's good business to just copy a successful product and stick their logo on it.

Because American companies never ever steal or copy anything.:rolleyes: I hope IGZO is really the future and SHARP can be saved. They have great displays and I would love to see one of them in the MacBooks.
 

everything-i

macrumors 6502a
Jun 20, 2012
827
2
London, UK
I'm glad Sharp is getting these investments and they are also a display supplier to the iPhone, their screens have always been top-notch quality IMO. The TV I own from them (around 5 years old now, 720p HD) has awesome quality for the specs it has.

Sharp does make some very high quality displays but didn't scale up at the same time as Samsung and LG so ended up with much lower production volumes and therefore a far more expensive product. The current investment from the likes of Apple and Qualcomm is enabling them to ramp production to cost effective levels in the current market where they can start to compete again.
 

NewtonAurelius

macrumors member
Nov 27, 2012
44
28
Orlando, Florida
I keep hearing about how impressive these IGZO displays are, but I do not think I have seen one in person. Is there any way for me to see what one of these IGZO displays looks like?
 

dugbug

macrumors 68000
Aug 23, 2008
1,864
1,926
Somewhere in Florida
Wonder when Apple will just out-right aquire some manufacturing capability for preventing sharing of components. I would have thought IGZO represented a marketing advantage to them and kept expecting to see some type of exclusivity arrangement. They probably think display technology changes too frequently to saddle themselves down to one basket.
 

everything-i

macrumors 6502a
Jun 20, 2012
827
2
London, UK
If they're responsible for the pissy yellow display on my iPhone 5 (and many other people's) then I hope they do go under... I expect LG are the ones responsible though as my Plasma from them had a similar tint - the difference being I could calibrate that and I can't on my phone.

And no, it's not just "warmer" or the glue setting, it's 2 months old been used plenty and measures 81% Red, 106% Green, 92% Blue. So much for the quality and colour depth being a big selling point, the colours can be as deep as the ocean but if they're wrong it's pretty redundant. :\

Why not just take it back and get a replacement :confused:
 

nuckinfutz

macrumors 603
Jul 3, 2002
5,537
398
Middle Earth
I keep hearing about how impressive these IGZO displays are, but I do not think I have seen one in person. Is there any way for me to see what one of these IGZO displays looks like?

They really won't look much different than today's displays. The calling card of IGZO is low power usage and good sensitivity for touch screens. This puts it smack dab in the middle. Better than amorphous silicon (the low cost standard) in power and under the more expensive LTPS (low temperature polysilicon) the iPhone choice in display.
 

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
If Sharp survives, are we going to see ridiculous theories in 15 years about how Qualcomm saved them with a comparatively tiny cash infusion?
 

Jimrod

macrumors 65816
Jun 24, 2010
1,199
659
Why not just take it back and get a replacement :confused:

Because judging by the threads on the subject on Apple's support forums very few manage to get a good one despite changing numerous times. Most people won't notice or care but I calibrate screens as part of my job so do, also didn't buy direct from Apple but a carrier so it's more hassle... :(
 

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
Sharp does make some very high quality displays but didn't scale up at the same time as Samsung and LG so ended up with much lower production volumes and therefore a far more expensive product. The current investment from the likes of Apple and Qualcomm is enabling them to ramp production to cost effective levels in the current market where they can start to compete again.
They also had quality issues with (IIRC) iPad-intended displays a year ago, and Apple stayed with LG/Samsung. Perhaps money can fix that kind of problem, too.
 
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