Feelings if Apple goes for a lower dpi 'Retina' screen on iPad?

[EssentialParado]

Even though I personally believe the next generation iPad will retain the same screen resolution, a lot of rumors are talking about a higher res display being in the next iPad but one which isn't the same pixel density as the Retina display on the iPhone. Let's call it a 'super res screen.'

If this is true, it's unlikely Apple would increase the screen resolution again anytime in the near future due to development fragmentation. So it's very likely Apple would probably keep this screen for the future and call this 'super res' screen a Retina display, and possibly justify it by saying the iPad is held further away from the eye than an iPhone is.

So how would you feel if Apple went this route; say, a 2x res screen as opposed to the true 4x Retina density that's in the iPhone? Would we much care that the pixel density is not the same as the iPhone, or would we just appreciate the higher res screen at any cost? Alternatively, would you prefer Apple keep the current screen res until they're able to put a true Retina screen in the iPad?

 

[MrWillie]

What is wrong with the screen we have now? Why must you buy into marketing BS? If it has a higher resolution screen great. If it don't, again what is wrong with the screen they have now?

 

[fertilized-egg]

What is wrong with the screen we have now? Why must you buy into marketing BS? If it has a higher resolution screen great. If it don't, again what is wrong with the screen they have now?

It's a fine display but the iPhone 4's high res screen makes it look somewhat rough. If the iPhone 4 didn't exist there probably wouldn't have been as many complaints about it but the texts on the iPhone/iPod Touch 4 look so incredibly sharp that it was inevitable people would want that on the iPad as well.

 

[hcho3]

So the future iPad 2 will have higher resolution than my iMac 21 inch? 1920 X1080P resolution. Really. Retina Display is just a marketing term and apple made and they can just change the term and definition any time.
Snap out of retina crap. It's just another term that apple made to sell their devices more.

The screen on iPad is perfectly fine and it has an awesome viewing angles.

I live in America. I don't know where these crazy idiots live who believe in somehow next gen iPad will beat the resolution of 1080P and get close to iMac 27 inch resolution, but keep dreaming for yourself. Don't give false hopes to others. Apple might put a display that has higher contrast ratio with deeper black level, but changing the resolution is very different matter.

 

[hcho3]

It's a fine display but the iPhone 4's high res screen makes it look somewhat rough. If the iPhone 4 didn't exist there probably wouldn't have been as many complaints about it but the texts on the iPhone/iPod Touch 4 look so incredibly sharp that it was inevitable people would want that on the iPad as well.

Apple simply doesn't care what people really wants. In all honesty, people have been asking apple to add Hdmi ports on iPhone and their laptops. Did they add them? No.
Just because iPhone and iPod touch have high resolution, it doesn't mean iPad will get a same treatment. They are made for different purposes. Complain ? do it all you want people and see apple cares. Changing resolution on iPad will throw off the developers and it will make the iPad price to break 499 dollars easily.

 

[MrWillie]

Just because iPhone and iPod touch have high resolution, it doesn't mean iPad will get a same treatment.

iPod touch and the iPhone have a LOWER resolution screen than the iPad. Yes, I know, size dpi, rectum display, marketing hype. But the resolution of the iPad is still higher.

 

[hcho3]

iPod touch and the iPhone have a LOWER resolution screen than the iPad. Yes, I know, size dpi, rectum display, marketing hype. But the resolution of the iPad is still higher.

I did not meant to say as high as higher resolution than iPad. But, I see what you are saying. I just hate to use the term Retina display. Retina display... crap is a one big lie. I put my iPhone 4 so close to my eye and my eyes were still fine. Retina blah blah blah. Go away apple.

 

[blackNBUK]

I think that Apple's explanation of Retina display was pretty clear; it's a resolution high enough that you can't perceive individual pixels. The ability for the eye to resolve detail is dependant upon the angle between two points and therefore the typical viewing distance has to be taken into account when talking about linear ppi. Since an iPad is typically used at a longer distance than an iPhone it doesn't have to have as high a ppi value to justify being called Retina. I haven't done the maths to figure out what the ppi value would be though.

 

[MrWillie]

I did not meant to say as high as higher resolution than iPad. But, I see what you are saying. I just hate to use the term Retina display. Retina display... crap is a one big lie. I put my iPhone 4 so close to my eye and my eyes were still fine. Retina blah blah blah. Go away apple.

I know what you are talking about. I dislike iPhone apps on the iPad. I just wonder what will happen to the 'older' apps if they increase the iPad screen resolution. Will they scale nicely? Apple haters/Android lovers claim Android apps scale nicely on the Galaxy. I only trust one of them, and when I played with a Tab at the store, I wasn't paying attention, I was just checking out the web experience, and I found that to be shoddy. Will the next iOS improve scaling?

Edit: 500th post. I win an Avatar. Yea for me!!!

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

The thing is that if they change the screen then developers will now have to make there apps to fit all the different screens (witch is annoying and tedious). I feel if they do make it higher it will be iPhone quality, but it might just be easier to bake it like 2x instead of 4x but apple will have to decide the pros and cons on this. Personally I only feel I notice the lack in the iPads screen because I have an iPhone, and for many others who don't it's not a problem. So like I said apple will have to figure this out

 

[fertilized-egg]

Apple simply doesn't care what people really wants. In all honesty, people have been asking apple to add Hdmi ports on iPhone and their laptops. Did they add them? No.

Apple cares very deeply about what people really want so far as to how much sales it'll generate. HDMI on an iPhone is an insignificant matter in that regard as whether Apple adds an HDMI port or not it won't affect the iPhone sales in a significant way. Most iPhone buyers, not the ones who post on online forums, simply do not care much about it. It's an item that's nice to have for sure, but I doubt Apple cares it about it much for the above reason.

The display is an entirely different matter. A high resolution display can truly make the device stand up and make it more desirable and for that matter it's more incentive for Apple to add it.

 

[fowler.]

At some point (hopefully sooner than later), Apple's going to increase the iPads resolution precisely because it looks like garbage compared to the iPhone.

 

[Meever]

What's a marketing hype??? Why does everyone keep saying that???

Fact: Screen is better when it's contrast is higher, viewing angle is wider and colors are brighter.

Fact: Higher the resolution, shaper the image looks, details are more prominent.

Fact: Putting more pixels in a smaller screen results in higher density of pixels, which result in much sharper images.

Anybody disagree with any of those statements? Retina Display is just what they're calling it. It's not like Apple is pretending it's some brand new technology. They're just giving it a name.

 

[slicecom]

What's a marketing hype??? Why does everyone keep saying that???

Fact: Screen is better when it's contrast is higher, viewing angle is wider and colors are brighter.

Fact: Higher the resolution, shaper the image looks, details are more prominent.

Fact: Putting more pixels in a smaller screen results in higher density of pixels, which result in much sharper images.

Anybody disagree with any of those statements? Retina Display is just what they're calling it. It's not like Apple is pretending it's some brand new technology. They're just giving it a name.

Agreed. Honestly I think it's just current iPad owners worried about their iPad becoming outdated and trying to justify its lower resolution. I have an iPad and if the new one has a higher resolution display, I'll upgrade for sure. It's painful going from my iPhone's beautiful >300dpi screen to the low dpi iPad screen.

 

[silroc]

Agreed. Honestly I think it's just current iPad owners worried about their iPad becoming outdated and trying to justify its lower resolution. I have an iPad and if the new one has a higher resolution display, I'll upgrade for sure. It's painful going from my iPhone's beautiful >300dpi screen to the low dpi iPad screen.

bingo

 

[fertilized-egg]

Well, put it this way. If the iPad 2 comes out with the current resolution, I'll be tempted to pick up the old iPad 1 at a cheap price instead. If the iPad 2 comes out with the rumored resolution, I'm on the preorder train on the very minute they begin.

 

[ciaran00]

A 4x retina display? Where did you come up with this terminology? Do you understand what you mean by 2x and 4x? What are these multipliers referring to?

 

[Stetrain]

I really doubt than an iPad with resolution doubled in both directions (4x the number of pixels) would really be distinguishable from a "retina display" iPhone unless you held it right up to your face.

 

[nosser]

What's a marketing hype??? Why does everyone keep saying that???

Fact: Screen is better when it's contrast is higher, viewing angle is wider and colors are brighter.

Fact: Higher the resolution, shaper the image looks, details are more prominent.

Fact: Putting more pixels in a smaller screen results in higher density of pixels, which result in much sharper images.

Anybody disagree with any of those statements? Retina Display is just what they're calling it. It's not like Apple is pretending it's some brand new technology. They're just giving it a name.

Agreed!

 

[grahamnp]

The screen on the current iPad is lagging behind the competition with regards to resolution. Apple allows this to happen all the time but it's a bit odd that DPI is one of the main selling points of the iPhone, making the iPad look archaic in comparison. I think the screen will be updated.

I'm just wondering what kind of GPU they're going to have to put in to support this and what happens when all the video on iTunes and even Blurays cannot meet or exceed the iPad's resolution.

 

[thesmoth]

Well, put it this way. If the iPad 2 comes out with the current resolution, I'll be tempted to pick up the old iPad 1 at a cheap price instead. If the iPad 2 comes out with the rumored resolution, I'm on the preorder train on the very minute they begin.

More than likely I will get an android honeycomb tablet if apple rolls out the usual small spec bump. If they have a crazy high res 'retina' display, i will probably get the iPad 2.

I need a really good spec upgrade for apple to win my money here, and if not google/android gets my money.

 

[tallyho]

I live in America. I don't know where these crazy idiots live who believe in somehow next gen iPad will beat the resolution of 1080P and get close to iMac 27 inch resolution, but keep dreaming for yourself. Don't give false hopes to others. Apple might put a display that has higher contrast ratio with deeper black level, but changing the resolution is very different matter.

Um OK. Have you seen the recent posts on the front page of Macrumors?

Still, perhaps Apple will release an iPad with 4x the first gen's pixels, but keep the 1024x768 version just for you in America. Does that sound like a good idea?

 

[EssentialParado]

A 4x retina display? Where did you come up with this terminology? Do you understand what you mean by 2x and 4x? What are these multipliers referring to?

4x is what happened when Apple put the retina display in the iPhone:

480x320 to 960x640 = 2x+2x = 4x. You combine the horizontal and the vertical.

The iPad going retina would be 1024x768 to 2048x1536. Which would be 4x. Some are speculating they may just do 1536x1152, which is 2x. Or even 1792x1344, which is 3x.

 

[maflynn]

Personally, I think the current resolution and dpi of the current iPad is fine. Could apple improve upon it, I guess but is it change for the sake of change?

Apple has done a great job at improving their products, not just adding on features for the sake of doing something, i.e., feature-itus.

If the retina display actually makes things better, I'm all for it but if they choose not too, I'm happy with that decision as well.

 

[gloss]

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A 4x retina display? Where did you come up with this terminology? Do you understand what you mean by 2x and 4x? What are these multipliers referring to?

4x is what happened when Apple put the retina display in the iPhone:

480x320 to 960x640 = 2x+2x = 4x. You combine the horizontal and the vertical.

The iPad going retina would be 1024x768 to 2048x1536. Which would be 4x. Some are speculating they may just do 1536x1152, which is 2x. Or even 1792x1344, which is 3x.

The problem with the other two potential spec bumps is that they cause issues with scaling. If you have four times the pixels, the scaling is simple: each original pixel can be approximated by four pixels on the new screen. If you've got 2x or 3x the pixels, there's no easy way to translate raster images without resampling, which degrades image quality and wastes processor time.