Claim of Samsung as Sole Display Supplier for New iPad Disputed, LG Reportedly On Board

[MacRumors]

Reuters specifically refutes a Bloomberg report from yesterday which claimed Samsung is the sole supplier for the new iPad's Retina display after LG and Sharp failed to meet Apple's quality requirement. According to a Reuters source, LG is indeed providing displays for the device.

Flat screen maker LG Display Co Ltd is supplying touch-screen panels for Apple Inc's new iPad, a source close to the matter said on Wednesday. [...]

"LG is also in a panel supply deal with Samsung for the new iPad," the source said.

Bloomberg's claim had generated significant interest given the tenuous relationship between Apple and Samsung. Apple relies on Samsung for billions of dollars' worth of components for its products even as it fights a legal battle over Samsung's Android-based hardware.

Update: Dow Jones Newswires offers more detail on the situation, describing Sharp's issues with display production and noting that LG did initially experience delays before meeting Apple's requirements.

When Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) new iPad tablet computers go on sale Friday, they won't be equipped with Sharp Corp.'s (6753.TO) liquid crystal display panels because there has been a delay in the Japanese electronics maker's delivery due to some difficulties in customizing its panels based on Apple's strict requirements, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Sharp, which makes screens for consumer electronics and its Aquos-based LCD TVs, hasn't yet started delivering the panels but it will likely do so as early as this month in an attempt to make the next batch of iPad shipments from Apple, the person, who declined to be named, said.

Sharp originally planned to start delivering the panels to Apple in late December, but it faced a series of difficulties in the process of customizing the panels according to the U.S. company's requirements for the new iPad, the person said.

Article Link: Claim of Samsung as Sole Display Supplier for New iPad Disputed, LG Reportedly On Board

[centauratlas]

If true, this is a positive. No company (or person) should be reliant on a single supplier for so much.

[M-O]

Originally Posted by centauratlas

If true, this is a positive. No company (or person) should be reliant on a single supplier for so much.

they probably had to do this in order to meet the demand. and it's likely they still won't be able to.

[1080p]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B179 Safari/7534.48.3)

I guess Sharp's screens weren't quite sharp enough....

[Winni]

Originally Posted by centauratlas

If true, this is a positive. No company (or person) should be reliant on a single supplier for so much.

I'm afraid that most people here almost make it a surrogate religion to buy everything electronic from Apple, and only from Apple...

The funny thing will be that as soon as Samsung and LG crank out own "retina" display products, they will be called copycats again, even though they very obviously invented and produced Apple's retina products.

[samcraig]

Originally Posted by Winni

I'm afraid that most people here almost make it a surrogate religion to buy everything electronic from Apple, and only from Apple...

The funny thing will be that as soon as Samsung and LG crank out own "retina" display products, they will be called copycats again, even though they very obviously invented and produced Apple's retina products.

Same argument can be used for media. And many on here would argue just that. That Apple should be "the" vendor for books, music, movies, etc.

I, personally, hope that never happens. We don't want one company with that kind of "editorial" control or power.

[striker33]

Damn. I wish it had been only Samsung.

Wasnt it LG that made all the terrible iPad 2 screen? (light bleed)

[perealb]

Originally Posted by Winni

The funny thing will be that as soon as Samsung and LG crank out own "retina" display products, they will be called copycats again, even though they very obviously invented and produced Apple's retina products.

Apple is the one that designed the retina display for both iPhone and iPad. Samsung or LG manufacture the displays according to Apple's specs.

[charlieegan3]

Originally Posted by Winni

I'm afraid that most people here almost make it a surrogate religion to buy everything electronic from Apple, and only from Apple...

The funny thing will be that as soon as Samsung and LG crank out own "retina" display products, they will be called copycats again, even though they very obviously invented and produced Apple's retina products.

would they be allowed to use the "retina" name?

EDIT: seems the retina is an Apple brand.

----------

Originally Posted by perealb

Apple is the one that designed the retina display for both iPhone and iPad. Samsung or LG manufacture the displays according to Apple's specs.

the manufacturers will have to design a product development cycle though.

the fact that they can design a cycle that can produce such screens is almost as amazing as the retina display itself.

[blackcrayon]

Originally Posted by Winni

I'm afraid that most people here almost make it a surrogate religion to buy everything electronic from Apple, and only from Apple...

The funny thing will be that as soon as Samsung and LG crank out own "retina" display products, they will be called copycats again, even though they very obviously invented and produced Apple's retina products.

Clearly some credit goes to all parties involved. I know that on Friday I'll have an incredibly high resolution (for its size) display in my hands, and Apple will be the only one offering it to me at that time.

[charlieegan3]

Originally Posted by blackcrayon

Clearly some credit goes to all parties involved. I know that on Friday I'll have an incredibly high resolution (for its size) display in my hands, and Apple will be the only one offering it to me at that time.

fair point. At least Apple have been the first this time.

[perealb]

Originally Posted by charlieegan3

the manufacturers will have to design a product development cycle though.

the fact that they can design a cycle that can produce such screens is almost as amazing as the retina display itself.

Right. What's the most important in the Samsung (and LG) deal is their infrastructure. They can do the job fast in large scale with good quality.

[daneoni]

Please please please don't let me get an LG screen.

[GenesisST]

Originally Posted by samcraig

Same argument can be used for media. And many on here would argue just that. That Apple should be "the" vendor for books, music, movies, etc.

I, personally, hope that never happens. We don't want one company with that kind of "editorial" control or power.

As much as I like my phone and Mac, I hope we will never see an iED-209...

[Skika]

My god i hope i get the Samsung panel.

[ncc1701d]

Interesting seeing people would prefer the samsung panel. I'm hoping for the LG. Frankly I'd prefer a Sharp product, but looks as though they won't be coming out for a while.

[chrysanthy]

i've used some of Samsung. they have good look and works well. i'm looking forward for the new iPad.

[Ramchi]

I don't think Apple designed retina display. Samsung or LG or Sharp who are good in designing and developing super high resolution displays did it and Apple is using its marketing technique by naming it as "retina" taking all the credit to implement OS that support such resolution.

[KnightWRX]

So hum... why is the "Samsung sole responsible for iPad display!" news article on the front page and main discussion area and the rebutal buried in the iOS blog section ?

Because the truth will generate less hits/revenue for MR ? Come on guys, a bit of journalistic integrity wouldn't harm you. You made headlines that got rebutted ? Man up to it.

Originally Posted by Ramchi

I don't think Apple designed retina display. Samsung or LG or Sharp who are good in designing and developing super high resolution displays did it and Apple is using its marketing technique by naming it as "retina" taking all the credit to implement OS that support such resolution.

Apple doesn't design displays or components. Heck, look at the date and contents of this particular Engadget piece :

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/23/s...e-and-perhaps/

Yep...

[KingJosh]

Originally Posted by 1080p

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B179 Safari/7534.48.3)

I guess Sharp's screens weren't quite sharp enough....

yah I was really hoping sharp could pull it off. I hate seeing corrupt business' getting richer

To anyone that says Apple does not innovate. Mac product designs. OS X. iOS. Maybe you have told your copycat device company the creator so many times that it stuck.

[romjet]

Originally Posted by perealb

Apple is the one that designed the retina display for both iPhone and iPad. Samsung or LG manufacture the displays according to Apple's specs.

Umm... aren't specifying and actually building entirely different things? For example I can specify for my future residence I want 200 floors and 2000 rooms. Unless someone has the tech to build that my designs are worthless.

[perealb]

Originally Posted by romjet

Umm... aren't specifying and actually building entirely different things? For example I can specify for my future residence I want 200 floors and 2000 rooms. Unless someone has the tech to build that my designs are worthless.

Not if "specifying" involves a good idea and technological advances that no one else has it. For instance, like when Apple designed the Retina with the pixels on a different level elevated from the layer that carries the signals to avoid interference and produce a very clear image with the pixels so close to each other. Samsung, LG or Sharp, none of them owns that. Apple tells them what and how to do it and they do it. If they don't do a good job at it, like Sharp was having a hard time, they reject it and ask them to improve their production process. Now Sharp fixed it and is back at manufacturing the displays along with Samsung.

[evading]

I like the ipad, it is magic

[romjet]

Originally Posted by perealb

Not if "specifying" involves a good idea and technological advances that no one else has it. For instance, like when Apple designed the Retina with the pixels on a different level elevated from the layer that carries the signals to avoid interference and produce a very clear image with the pixels so close to each other. Samsung, LG or Sharp, none of them owns that. Apple tells them what and how to do it and they do it. If they don't do a good job at it, like Sharp was having a hard time, they reject it and ask them to improve their production process. Now Sharp fixed it and is back at manufacturing the displays along with Samsung.

Do you have on good authority that is actually owned/invented by Apple? Apple videos brag about many things they didn't necessarily invent, but are simply the first to incorporate into a product. In the 4S video for example one gets the impression the 8 megapixel camera was completely in-house when in fact it's a Sony camera.

[kdarling]

Originally Posted by perealb

Not if "specifying" involves a good idea and technological advances that no one else has it. For instance, like when Apple designed the Retina with the pixels on a different level elevated from the layer that carries the signals to avoid interference and produce a very clear image with the pixels so close to each other.

Yes, that's what Apple says on their iPad ad page.

Samsung, LG or Sharp, none of them owns that. Apple tells them what and how to do it and they do it.

I just spent a couple hours researching this, tracking down patents, companies and people.

The SHA (Super High Aperture) display that Apple is supposedly talking about was invented by Sharp in Japan over a decade ago.

An engineer named John Zhong also worked on similar things for OIS Optical Imaging Systems in Michigan and for LG/Philips in Korea.

Years later, Zhong went to work at Apple, where he is now a Director of Engineering, which is apparently why their ad can say "Apple engineers". (I cannot find a high aperture patent assigned to Apple.)

SHA is reportedly used in up to 1/4 of current high resolution displays. It looks like Zhong... being familiar with it... wanted SHA used in the iPad 3 display, and either specified it or a variant.

That's what I've found so far. Btw, there are some claims going around that the SHA patent belongs to Zhong, but I've found no evidence of that. They might've been confused by his other work for OIS and LG.