Second-Generation iPad's Backlight Suppliers Named, Quelling OLED Rumors

[MacRumors]

DigiTimes reports that suppliers of the backlight unit (BLU) for the next-generation iPad have been selected, quashing speculation that Apple might turn to OLED for display technology in the revised tablet device. According to the report, Taiwanese firm Coretronic has been selected to supply BLUs to iPad display vendors Chimei Innolux and LG Display, with Radiant Opto-Electronics also supplying BLUs to LG.

Coretronic has reportedly entered the supply chain for the second generation iPad, and will supply BLUs to Chimei Innolux (CMI) and LG Display.

Coretronic has declined to comment.

The second generation iPad is expected to hit the market at the end of the first quarter of 2011 and suppliers in the supply chain are estimated to start shipments in the first quarter.

It is understood that Coretronic is the only BLU supplier of CMI for iPad 2, while LG Display is getting iPad 2 BLUs from Coretronic and Radiant Opto-Electronics.​

Rumors of Apple adopting OLED display technology have surfaced prior to the release of numerous portable Apple products, dating as far back as 2003 with early-generation original iPods. OLED technology can offer lower power requirements and superior contrast ratios to traditional LCDs, but pricing, technical, and production capacity issues have slowed adoption of the technology over the years.

Article Link: Second-Generation iPad's Backlight Suppliers Named, Quelling OLED Rumors

 

[Gen]

OLED doesn't display nicely outside :/

 

[Consultant]

OLED doesn't display nicely outside :/

Exactly. Somehow the iPhone wannabe makers have stopped advertising / using OLED in their new devices.

 

[ComputersaysNo]

Some extra (non-relevant?) info:

Google translate:

Published: December 8, 2010 1:31 p.m.
Last modified: December 8, 2010 1:46 p.m.
BRUSSELS - The European Commission has six Asian manufacturers of LCD screens fines totaling 649 million euros for making alleged illegal price fixing. That the cartel watchdog said Wednesday.
© AP

These LG Display, a South Korean company with the electronics company Philips has been a long time shareholder, Samsung Electronics, AU Optronics, Chimei InnoLux, Chunghwa Picture Tubes and Hannstar Display.

Last year in July the European Commission announced an investigation into the producers of displays that include use in televisions, computer monitors and mobile phones.

Philips then declared himself strongly to oppose the allegations because it was not directly involved.

LG Display

Philips said in May last year it had received notice from the European Commission. In March, Philips sold its last shares in LG Display.

This company, established in 1999 by Philips and LG, two years ago has pleaded guilty in a U.S. investigation into price fixing of LCD panels, together with the Japanese Sharp and Taiwan's Chunghwa Picture Tubes. She was paid 585 million U.S. dollars (445 million) in fines.

 

[talkingfuture]

Surely a 10" OLED is still a bit on the expensive side anyway

 

[jeffpoker]

I'd be very surprised if OLED made it to iPad 2. IMO not gonna happen.

 

[asdf542]

April is not Q1.

 

[Kissaragi]

No one seriously thought OLED would make it into the iPad 2 did they?

 

[reactions]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

The reality is when
Apple adds OLED to their products everyone here will love them

In fact apple already has a name for their version

iLED

 

[Intarweb]

Good. The machine is high priced already. Adding OLED would easily make it MacBook price.

 

[Doctor Q]

Now we can start the speculation about OLED displays for the next-next-generation iPads.

 

[swarmster]

Yeah, it's weird to me the implication that OLED is somehow superior to LCD. It has slightly darker blacks and uses less power when the display is completely black, but:

a) if a significant part of the screen is non-black (which I think colourful images is kind of a plus when it comes to the iPad?), OLED uses significantly more power than LCD

b) it's terrible in sunlight/well-lit rooms

c) it's expensive

I don't see why Apple would be considering it at this point.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Reportedly? Declined comment?

How exactly does a new rumor 'quash speculation'?

 

[bobob]

How exactly does a new rumor 'quash speculation'?

Yoda lives!

 

[0098386]

Whilst I wouldn't want an OLED in an iPhone/iPod/Device I use outdoors, I wouldn't mind one for my desktop monitor or an iPad.

 

[christian_k]

Yeah, it's weird to me the implication that OLED is somehow superior to LCD. It has slightly darker blacks and uses less power when the display is completely black, but:

a) if a significant part of the screen is non-black (which I think colourful images is kind of a plus when it comes to the iPad?), OLED uses significantly more power than LCD

b) it's terrible in sunlight/well-lit rooms

c) it's expensive

I don't see why Apple would be considering it at this point.

There is an advantage:
An OLED can constantly display "a few" informations (on a black background) with very little impact in battery life.

You could see "3 new messages" and the subject lines and senders of the three mails on the display without even touching the unit. A touch on one of these would turn on the rest of the display and reveal the entire message.

Very convenient IMHO.

Christian

 

[lincolntran]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

The reality is when
Apple adds OLED to their products everyone here will love them

In fact apple already has a name for their version

iLED

The reality is when
(if) Apple does use OLED for their products, all other wannabe makers will begin to use OLED for their products.

 

[Evangelion]

Surely a 10" OLED is still a bit on the expensive side anyway

Yep, and supplies are limited.

 

[jessea]

The reality is when
(if) Apple does use OLED for their products, all other wannabe makers will begin to use OLED for their products.

You do realize that there are a bunch of other phones already using AMOLED displays, right? I don't really understand your remark...

 

[kayloh20]

There is an advantage:
An OLED can constantly display "a few" informations (on a black background) with very little impact in battery life.

You could see "3 new messages" and the subject lines and senders of the three mails on the display without even touching the unit. A touch on one of these would turn on the rest of the display and reveal the entire message.

Very convenient IMHO.

Christian

Yes, but I'm pretty sure the iPad was meant to be a "completely new world" when you use it. Maybe I can see the iPod touch getting it, but the iPad was meant for all it's color and stuff. An alert view on a black background would save a ton of battery life, but I just don't see Apple doing it. Would be a step back in terms of user experience (even if the full screen comes on when you touch it). And yes, while people love battery life, Apple wouldn't go that far back in the user interface to cut back on battery life. They'll find another way (just like they made their own non-removable battery in the MacBooks instead of an OLED screen).

 

[Boomchukalaka]

Good. The machine is high priced already. Adding OLED would easily make it MacBook price.

What??? LOL --there isn't a tablet product produced by a major manufacturer out there today that can touch Apple's pricing of the iPad with a stick.

 

[Dozer_Zaibatsu]

I heard that Apple was going to include 3-D OLED haptic displays and cut the price by $100 and include mini Blu-Ray. If they don't do this it's CRAP!!

/sarcasm

 

[ricardobeat]

Nice wording

Quelling and quashing. Your Oxford must be paying it's dividends

 

[fxtech]

The reality is when
(if) Apple does use OLED for their products, all other wannabe makers will begin to use OLED for their products.

You mean like all those Android phones that are already using them?

 

[vincenz]

Didn't even know there were rumors of an OLED ipad. I thought all those android phones were having a hard time keeping up with OLED supply.