New Display Panels from AUO Spark Speculation of 4K Apple Displays

[TWSS37]

There are many more comments like this.

Take the iWatch, some will not wear a watch, but without even knowing what it will be they discredit the product.

As with all technical products , the first generation is expensive, Then the entire industry switches , capacities are built up and the economy of scale makes things cheaper.

So, eventually the masses will have 4K cinema sets in their homes at affordable prices.

In the meantime those who are not early adopters or do not have or do not want to spend the entry premium for new tec will just have to wait and complain.

I'm not discrediting anything, nor am I suggesting that wide adoption of 4K (cinema or 16:9) will not occur.

I just think it's not fair to criticise people for not being forward thinking when it's not exactly clear if Apple has a plan in place for ANY of these products. iWatch, TV, etc. haven't even been announced, yet we assume that they exist AND Apple has a roadmap. While likely they do, it shouldn't be up to the consumer to figure out why they need a product that doesn't exist.

If Apple can tell me why I need to spend $5000 on a 4K cinema screen and it is justifiable, then great! But like others have mentioned, for $500 (actually BB has a 50" TV 1080p today for $400!) I am not sure, early adopter or not, why someone would pay an extra $4500 for something that cannot be utilized given today's output devices. Like I posted yesterday, motion sensoring, like cinema 4K displays solves a problem that currently doesn't exist.

 

[monokakata]

It's TFT (if I'm reading the posted spec sheet properly).

OK for TV, not so much for a monitor. I wouldn't buy a TFT monitor, 4K or no 4K.

Ugh. I saw TFT, read TN. New glasses for me.

 

[TMay]

Well, the Cinema/Thunderbolt Display the past few years has always been marketed as a big screen companion to a MacBook Pro. It's product page even shows a MacBook Air connected to one, so obviously the display, while expensive, isn't only marketed to professional-class users. I wanted one as a dock and big screen for my 13" rMBP but so much time has passed now that I've fallen out of love with the idea relative to the cost. And, I'm obviously not paying $999 for 2011 hardware...2014 is in 35 days!

Sounds like a 4K display will solely be marketed to Mac Pro users and will have a cost to match. So yes, I probably won't be in the market for that either, nor do I have an interest in non-Apple displays. Just wanted a thin, 27" iMac-style Thunderbolt Display with USB 3.0 and an iSight HD camera. Too bad.

Current Mac Book Pro's with TB2 will support one Ultra HD screen via HDMi, and one via Thunderbolt2, so Apple will market to those and Mac Pro users. I can't speak for any future Mac Book Air and 4K, but not currently.

Chances are you will see an "upgraded" 27 inch display of current resolution in the future, but when is a guess. I would hope that this will roll out at the same time. There's also a market for a smaller screen, in the low 20 inch range.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

A 4K desktop monitor would make me stop caring that it isn't 16:10.

 

[pesos]

4k on the desktop is awesome. As much as I'd love a new mac pro, the pricing is just a bit ridiculous. Too bad they didn't do an entry level $1,999 option - I would have been all over that.

Instead for close to what a baseline mac pro with enough ram added in will cost, I got one of these ASUS 4K monitors and a Dell inspiron 660s with 16 GB ram and my trusty Samsung SSD: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7157/asus-pq321q-ultrahd-4k-monitor-review

Loving it.

 

[jjofc11]

Apple never releases latest technology

I don't understand why every time that there's a new technology some people think that is the next apple product? we have seen that apple just give us a small bite of the latest technology? I was apple fan for so many years till iPhone 5s I'm really dissapointed with it and after Mr Jobs is gone I haven't seen nothing interesting, only a iPhone with better camera, ohh wow

 

[eltaurus]

hurry up Apple .. I am holding company wallet from 1 year for new Mac pro and 4K ACD

 

[Lone Deranger]

For the love of god, please make these matte, not glossy.

This please Tim and Jony!

 

[Boston007]

Had my $1,000 to throw down months ago for a Thunderbolt Display if they just updated the form factor to match the benefits of the new (now 1 year old) 27" iMac display.

Since Apple has chosen to continue selling 3 year old tech for full price (USB 2.0, really?) I have had enough time to think and decided that I no longer have an interest in the display period. Apple's loss for not keeping up with the times across their product line. They would have had an extra $1,000 from me and likely many others.

They are too busy with the iPhone, iOS and SmartWatch

 

[bobenhaus]

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


When Apple gave its full unveiling of the new Mac Pro at last month's media event, many observers were disappointed that the company did not also announce new higher-resolution displays to complement the radically redesigned professional desktop, which Apple touts as being able to support up to three 4K displays simultaneously.

But the recent introduction of new 27-inch and 32-inch 4K display panels from AU Optronics (via Reddit and AmongTech) is sparking speculation that Apple could yet have a display announcement in the relatively near future. Both panel sizes offer 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, which could use the new Thunderbolt 2 connectivity standard to support either much larger desktops than with the 2560 x 1440 resolution of the current Apple Thunderbolt Display or high-quality "Retina" sharpness at an equivalent of 1920 x 1080.

Image​

Apple currently uses well-regarded LG panels in its Apple Thunderbolt Display, and it is unclear if the new panels from AU Optronics will meet Apple's exacting quality standards. Still, many have been looking for technology that would even allow Apple to offer a 4K display alongside the Mac Pro, and the new AU Optronics panels using the embedded DisplayPort (eDP) signaling standard embraced by Apple appear to be a significant step in that direction.

Even if Apple were to launch 4K displays using these panels, timing remains unclear as Panelook listings for the new panels indicate that they are "in production" but with customer sampling and mass production not scheduled until the first quarter of next year.

Also in question is whether Apple would even use 16:9 3840 x 2160 panels for a 4K display, as some have suggested that the company may prefer to push Thunderbolt 2 to its limit and support the wider 4096 x 2160 "Cinema 4K" standard given that the display will undoubtedly be targeted at professionals, many of whom in the film industry will be working with content using that resolution standard adopted for film production.

Article Link: New Display Panels from AUO Spark Speculation of 4K Apple Displays

4k is worthless. All cable/tv providers at most broadcast at 1080i and the average is 720p. Waste of money. You will need a super fast internet connection to view these type of video's. Also the DVD's will be huge. Not gonna happen until the average person has a 1gig connection.

 

[stu.h]

What's so wrong with sticking to what you know? In the age of 500 dollar 55 inch LED's, who's going to pay a premium for apple branded tv's?

Im from the UK but $500 55" TV's? They are going to be pretty cack.

We can get 60" Tvs for £800 ish, but they are also bollox Samsung or LG filth.

If you want a decent panel at that size, like Panasonic etc they are still £1500+ for a 50"

 

[dazzer21]

Migh be being a bit thick, but...

...as opposed to 8K, wouldn't the next logical step up from 4K be 16K for perfect upscaling (ie keeping the aspect ratio the same and just directly doubling the pixel density)? That'd be a bit of a graphics card killer...

 

[Ice Dragon]

Quality standards? The LG ones are usually junk. I hope so.

 

[TahoeBlue]

Why do people ignore the fact that a good chunk of prosumers have two monitors side by side on their desks?

 

[Takeo]

Maybe they will come out with super expensive 4K displays but also update the old display with USB 3 and the new laminated panel like the iMac. That would be nice. I couldn't care less if they make it thin.

 

[iChrist]

Apple currently uses well-regarded LG panels in its Apple Thunderbolt Display, and it is unclear if the new panels from AU Optronics will meet Apple's exacting quality standards.

Hello??

Why don't you browse your forums once in a while. There are endless complaints of yellow subpar screens for rMPBs and iMacs.

Apple does NOT have anything close to exacting standards anymore. It's mass produced in China.

 

[WilliamG]

4K makes zero sense for the 27" Thunderbolt display, since we really need 5120x2880 for that to happen. I like my 2560x1440 real estate, and going to 4K means a step down in usable space unless I run the display in native 4K res, which makes everything tiny.

NO thank you!

4K res is perfect for the 21" iMac since it maintains real estate (retina 4x mode), but NOT for the 27", Apple!

 

[foobarbaz]

Also, 163 pixels per inch, even at 27", hardly qualifies as retina (FYI, the original iPhone to iPhone 3Gs had 165 pixels per inch). Coupled with the fact that such display will default at ultra low 1920x1080 resolution, I simply don't think this panel is destined for Apple's 27" display.

What else are they gonna do? For the time being, 4K is the limit of what's possible. Are they not gonna ship a 1.5x display and stay with 1x while they wait for years till 2x displays and Thunderbolt 3 become available?

 

[Rocketman]

I am expecting Cinema 4K and shipping within 2 weeks of MacPro arrivals.

 

[cppguy]

You all realize that you'd have to stick your nose less than 6 inches from a 30" 4K display to even start to see the pixels.

Have you ever seen a retina display in your life? Go to an Apple store and see it yourself. The difference is night and day. It looks better than a printed page, and it's very obvious immediately. You don't have to stick your nose to it. I would pay for it. I not only see individual pixels on a traditional display, but I even see the gap between pixels. The Thunderbolt display is nice, it's better than the usual 96dpi, but it's still far from 4K.

 

[theluggage]

I'm going to take a wild guess and say you are in your mid 20s.

If only.
If I was, then I'd be getting excited at the prospect of 3840 x 2160 'raw' on a 32" screen, and to hell with pixel-doubling.

As it is, the 1920x1200 on my 17" MBP can get a bit much - but I'm fine with 1440p at 27".

As I said, it would be nice if Apple could fix their otherwise very nice OS so that you could re-scale the UI. Windows can do it - how hard can it be?

(Ans: very hard if all your 3rd party software is hard-coded in pixels).

 

[Ice Dragon]

Hello??

Why don't you browse your forums once in a while. There are endless complaints of yellow subpar screens for rMPBs and iMacs.

Apple does NOT have anything close to exacting standards anymore. It's mass produced in China.

True although haven't they been doing that for at least the past 10-15 years? Who made the panels for the old cinema displays?

 

[twoodcc]

now this would be awesome. and expensive. but still awesome

 

[listone]

you say right!

 

[Tech198]

3840 x 2160 ?? oh so close..

My wallpapers are 3840x2400. Admittedly, i am using these on a 1440x900 Macbook Pro, but that's another story.

This 4K display must go together with the Mac Pro........NOW !!

If its gonna push TB 2 to it's limits by 16:9, then you may as well excite everyone by bringing out Thunderbolt 3...

More head room....

(ya, we all could use that)