Sharp Reportedly Cutting iPad Display Production Amid Shift in Consumer Interest to iPad Mini

[twoodcc]

i guess apple's stock will go down after this news?

not sure if i believe it anyways. but hopefully apple releases new ipads around march-april timeframe instead of october

 

[raptorstv]

Guess we will see what happens when the iPad mini have retina displays.

Looks like they might be more popular (largely based on price I would assume.)

Not unless the regular iPad gets significant weight reduction

 

[DesertEagle]

If the next Mini is Retina, than I will be done with the original iPad form factor as well. I think there are a lot of us out there waiting to see if that upgrade will happen, and won't purchase either version until we know.

That will be a long wait, I'm afraid.

 

[xofruitcake]

i guess apple's stock will go down after this news?

not sure if i believe it anyways. but hopefully apple releases new ipads around march-april timeframe instead of october

I don't quit understand what fuss is about on this news/non-news. If Apple were to launch a new Ipad in March, they need to slow down and/or stop production of ipad 4. So it make perfect sense to cut ordering for Ipad panel. The more interesting aspect is that Samsung and LG are not hit very hard with the the cut back. That would mean that Apple is going to continue to sell Ipad 4 for a while. I wonder why would they do that given Ipad 3/4 has pretty lousy gross margin.

 

[vpro]

Stocks?

Hmm, I wonder if Apple has been doing poorly because Steve has RIP along with the 17" MacBook Pro, the company has shoved ProSumers out of the stores. When I walk in, I see the kids running up to the moms and teens, I have to wait over 45 min to be seen.. Apple will have a new day soon, people are easy to please and Apple always finds a shiny way to please you all.

 

[twoodcc]

I don't quit understand what fuss is about on this news/non-news. If Apple were to launch a new Ipad in March, they need to slow down and/or stop production of ipad 4. So it make perfect sense to cut ordering for Ipad panel. The more interesting aspect is that Samsung and LG are not hit very hard with the the cut back. That would mean that Apple is going to continue to sell Ipad 4 for a while. I wonder why would they do that given Ipad 3/4 has pretty lousy gross margin.

but the screen would probably be the same though

 

[tekstud]

That will be a long wait, I'm afraid.

Why do you say that? If a Kindle Fire HD, NookHD, and Nexus 7 all can have better screens than the iPad mini NOW, why wouldn't Apple want to mute that advantage as soon as possible?

 

[2IS]

That will be a long wait, I'm afraid.

I'd be shocked if the next mini isn't Retina.

 

[xofruitcake]

but the screen would probably be the same though

Not if the rumor of using IGZO LCD panel to save power -> smaller battery -> lighter weight rumor is true. The Ipad3/Ipad4 screen is the worst screen that Apple can pick for both cost and power consumption. But it is the only one that can do 2048x1536 resolution at the size of Ipad 3/4.. Macrumar has an article on it.. The heavy weight is the only major problem for Ipad 4 for now. If Apple don't replace the screen, there is really not much reason for the 6 months replacement cycle. Sharp was supposed to have IGZO ready by summer. The near BK cost it to miss the manufacturing ram up. I think Ipad 4 is a stop gap measure. Ipad 5 is the one that Apple want to bring out for Xmas season..

https://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/2...lays-to-achieve-a-thinner-lower-power-ipad-3/

However, this is not the first time that we've heard that Apple will be pursuing this new technology for the iPad 3. A research note from Jefferies analyst Peter Misek back in November made very similar claims:
Also, we believe that Apple and Sharp together have a modified IGZO (indium, gallium, zinc) technology to achieve 330 dpi, which is sufficient for an HD display while not using IPS nor having to include dual-bar LED backlighting. In our view, this should lead to several design advantages, namely the device can be thinner, battery life should be longer, and the overall experience for users should be meaningfully improved.
Sharp announced plans in April to commercialize these new IGZO panels for mass production later this year. The advantages of the new technology that should allow for lower power consumption and higher resolution displays. DisplayBlog recaps the advantages of this new technology:
The benefits of IGZO are plenty: lower cost of manufacturing, up to 30x higher electron mobility than a-Si (amorphous silicon), increased aperture ratio for improved light transmittance, higher resolution in terms of ppi, etc. IGZO would allow for significant cost reductions compared to LTPS (Low Temperature Poly-Silicon) based high resolution LCDs like the rumored 9.7-inch 2048×1536 IPS LCD for the iPad 3.
It sounds as if this new technology will allow Apple to avoid adding a second light bar system to the more traditional IPS display that is presently used in the iPad. It may also allow Apple to avoid making the iPad 3 thicker than the current iPad, and should consume less power.

 

[DesertEagle]

Why do you say that? If a Kindle Fire HD, NookHD, and Nexus 7 all can have better screens than the iPad mini NOW, why wouldn't Apple want to mute that advantage as soon as possible?

Because then Apple will have to cram 2048x1536 pixels into an 7.9-inch-display, which is unlikely to happen this year at all. Heck, Apple has difficulties to meet the demands of the current iPad mini, even if some of the other ones (Nook, Kindle, Nexus) do have better screens.

 

[Jennisunshine]

i guess apple's stock will go down after this news?

not sure if i believe it anyways. but hopefully apple releases new ipads around march-april timeframe instead of october

Sharp stock has definitely been doing terrible...

 

[tekstud]

Because then Apple will have to cram 2048x1536 pixels into an 7.9-inch-display, which is unlikely to happen this year at all. Heck, Apple has difficulties to meet the demands of the current iPad mini, even if some of the other ones (Nook, Kindle, Nexus) do have better screens.

So cram away because as an eReader it's not up to snuff. I returned one as I wanted a Kindle replacement and sadly it's not the answer.

 

[notabadname]

That will be a long wait, I'm afraid.

Could be, but I would be surprised. I think by end of year at worst. It is a competitive segment, and Apple isn't going to cede the tablet market easily IMO. And they have already had the competition marketing directly at this deficiency in the Mini already.

 

[Marv89]

I don't get why everybody needs Retina. I have iPad mini, and I also saw Retina displays... it is not much of a difference when you don't see them right next to each other. Despite that, Retina will reduce Battery and Computing power.

I hope there will be no Retina iPad soon.

 

[polbit]

I don't get why everybody needs Retina. I have iPad mini, and I also saw Retina displays... it is not much of a difference when you don't see them right next to each other. Despite that, Retina will reduce Battery and Computing power.

I hope there will be no Retina iPad soon.

Yes, it's called iPad 2. Apple also has this nice new iPhone, 3GS. Skips on all that crazy Retina stuff too. Much better Battery and Computing power. Oh wait...

 

[Saladinos]

The exact quote is this :



So yeah, "Steve would never have shipped an iPad Mini" is quite accurate (though I know Steve was one of the biggest flip-floppers around... iPod Video after "People don't want to watch video on a small screen" and "People don't read anymore" a year before iBookStore).

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Steve said. Steve's dead.

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Steve said 10 inch minimum. Steve said the iPad Mini was bad, even at 7.9 inch. Because 7.9 < 10. So what you said flies in the face of Steve's "knowledge".

Too bad the Internet is so good at remembering quotes uh ?

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Jobs talked about everything less than 10 inches. *taps the quote*.

All this "Steve said" stuff is a bit annoying.

If you take what he says at absolute literal paper-thin face value, yes he's talking specifically about every tablet smaller than 10 inches diagonal.

If you put the quote in context, he mentions specifically that the reason he says that is because it would lead to touch targets which are too small. It's a memorable quote; he said something about needing to ship sandpaper with them so users could file down their fingers.

Those people you were arguing against were making the argument that the iPad Mini avoids this pitfall; in other words and given the full quote, it appears Jobs would indeed approve of the Mini (if you care about whether he would or would not have approved of it)

 

[polbit]

All this "Steve said" stuff is a bit annoying.

If you take what he says at absolute literal paper-thin face value, yes he's talking specifically about every tablet smaller than 10 inches diagonal.

If you put the quote in context, he mentions specifically that the reason he says that is because it would lead to touch targets which are too small. It's a memorable quote; he said something about needing to ship sandpaper with them so users could file down their fingers.

Those people you were arguing against were making the argument that the iPad Mini avoids this pitfall; in other words and given the full quote, it appears Jobs would indeed approve of the Mini (if you care about whether he would or would not have approved of it)

To try to interpret Steve's quotes literally is to miss the point, IMHO. He said things to fit/help with what Apple was selling at the time, not stating what Apple is/is not woking on, out of goodness of his heart. Times also change, and use cases change. Remember flip phones with those "huge" 2"+ screens?

 

[StoneJack]

Since Sharp is a main supplier of future IGZO screens (Samsung and LC are not), it makes full sense to prepare Sharp for future screens. In other words, conventional iPad screens from Sharp needed less than IGZO screens, which only Sharp can supply. Thats why production facilties at Sharp should be redirected toward new IGZOs.Perhaps, mini might be produced with IGZO but not Retina yet, for example, but Sharp's IGZO can go as high as astonishing 498 ppi, 2.5 times of current mini tablets leaders Nexus 7's 216 ppi. Which means Sharp IGZO will not be the bottleneck, but minis' CPU and GPU will be.

 

[DesertEagle]

So cram away because as an eReader it's not up to snuff. I returned one as I wanted a Kindle replacement and sadly it's not the answer.

AFAIK, such displays don't exist yet. But maybe Sharp will start making them soon? Time will show. I never said it won't happen, only that it will take a while.

Could be, but I would be surprised. I think by end of year at worst. It is a competitive segment, and Apple isn't going to cede the tablet market easily IMO. And they have already had the competition marketing directly at this deficiency in the Mini already.

Yes, they have had competition, and still the iPad mini sells like hotcakes. It even outsells the iPad 4. At some point, Apple will of course have to provide it with retina display to keep up, but that will be at the end of this year at best.

 

[Marv89]

Yes, it's called iPad 2. Apple also has this nice new iPhone, 3GS. Skips on all that crazy Retina stuff too. Much better Battery and Computing power. Oh wait...

Argument is nonsens. Think about iphone 5 without retina -> more battery and computing power.

 

[Drunken Master]

I would consider a very small and basic cell phone in my pocket, if I could figure a way to carry an iPad Mini around in a practical sense for internet access, but I don't usually carry a bag, and iPad Mini won't fit in a front pocket, and I would rather not sit on it in a back pocket, even if it would fit. Men usually don't carry bags for accoutrements, either. I don't even like to carry a coat around if I think I can endure the cold for a little while.

Don't let other peoples' insecurities about their sexuality affect you in this instance.

All guys here in Taiwan carry bags, and nobody bats an eye. It doesn't make you gay.

 

[KnightWRX]

Because then Apple will have to cram 2048x1536 pixels into an 7.9-inch-display, which is unlikely to happen this year at all. Heck, Apple has difficulties to meet the demands of the current iPad mini, even if some of the other ones (Nook, Kindle, Nexus) do have better screens.

Why ? What's so special about 2048x1536 in a 7.9" size ?

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All this "Steve said" stuff is a bit annoying.

If you take what he says at absolute literal paper-thin face value, yes he's talking specifically about every tablet smaller than 10 inches diagonal.

If you put the quote in context, he mentions specifically that the reason he says that is because it would lead to touch targets which are too small. It's a memorable quote; he said something about needing to ship sandpaper with them so users could file down their fingers.

Those people you were arguing against were making the argument that the iPad Mini avoids this pitfall; in other words and given the full quote, it appears Jobs would indeed approve of the Mini (if you care about whether he would or would not have approved of it)

He said 10 inch was minimum. Don't try to redefine the word.

Of course I know full well Steve Jobs would've come on stage and said "Apple nailed it" with the iPad Mini. The point is, Steve said a lot of crap and was wrong a lot of times, don't try to do his spin for him. He's dead anyway.

I don't know why you guys refuse to see the man wasn't always right. No one is perfect, no one is a god. Everyone makes mistakes. Steve Jobs did often.

 

[Macrolido]

I prefer the full size iPad, the Mini looks like an Android device for me.

 

[Wicked1]

I would not be surprised if iPad 4 demand slows a lot onece the Mini is out with Retina. I love the iPad but the Mini was a game changer for me, I sold my iPad 1 and now just waiting for the Mini with Retina, then I will be all set.

 

[blackcrayon]

Because then Apple will have to cram 2048x1536 pixels into an 7.9-inch-display, which is unlikely to happen this year at all. Heck, Apple has difficulties to meet the demands of the current iPad mini, even if some of the other ones (Nook, Kindle, Nexus) do have better screens.

It'd be the same PPI as the iPhone 4 or 5, so Apple should be able to "Cram" those pixels without much trouble- it would just be a larger cut of the same "LCD sheet" or however it's done. And the screen might even have lower specs to keep the cost down, remember the 4th generation iPod Touch, it had a retina display but lower specs than the iPhone 4 screen. They might do something similar here.
Another issue would be the GPU, but a regular A6 should do the trick (since that would put graphics capability about on par with the A5X in the iPad 3rd generation but without that pesky gigantic size).