Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

The iPad is not getting a Retina display.

iObama

iObama

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 16, 2008
1,197
3,534
Guys. Let's look at this logistically. For the iPad to have a Retina display, the resolution would have to be something like 2880x1440.

There is no 9.7" display that has anywhere NEAR that capability, nor will there be for at least another two years.

Will the next iPad have a higher pixel density? Maybe. But a "retina" display as we know it today? No.
 
Apple... said:
It will get one. Is it expected in iPad 2? No, but it will happen - possibly sooner than thought. Enough with these threads already.
Click to expand...

yeah, the iPad 10.

a Retina display requires the resolution of a 30" monitor. do you really think a portable device will have the graphics power to drive a 30" display for 10 hours any time soon (much less play games on it)? stop deluding yourself.
 
I guess people dont know how technology works. Even if they were capable of putting one in they would not put it in right away. You have to save features so you can implement them on the next next device, if you get everything in 1 device what would be the point of upgrading to the next one.
 
yes it will. The term Retina Display doesn't mean 4x the pixel density. It means ppi dense enough to eliminate the eye's ability to distinguish individual pixels at normal viewing range. The iPad will prob have a Retina Display in this sense, but I doubt the ppi would be anywhere near the 326 the iPhone got.
 
toxic said:
yeah, the iPad 10.

a Retina display requires the resolution of a 30" monitor. do you really think a portable device will have the graphics power to drive a 30" display for 10 hours any time soon (much less play games on it)? stop deluding yourself.
Click to expand...
I don't think you're being realistic. Try iPad 4. It's Apple we're talking about! ;)

And no, I'm not deluding myself. :D
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Retina Display is just a marketing term. The iPad right now has similar resolution with the iPhone4/iPod Touch. It probably just means a higher resolution screen not an exact DPI conversion from the iPhone 4.
 
Sheesh, you'd be satisfied with only 300 dpi? You need 3D retina extreme so you can tape the iPad to your face and get a proper display.
 
If the resolution in the iPad 2 is going to increase, what do we think it will go to?
 
iObama said:
Guys. Let's look at this logistically. For the iPad to have a Retina display, the resolution would have to be something like 2880x1440.

There is no 9.7" display that has anywhere NEAR that capability, nor will there be for at least another two years.

Will the next iPad have a higher pixel density? Maybe. But a "retina" display as we know it today? No.
Click to expand...
The iPad will very likely be getting a retina display, at least I hope. The rumour of a "new display technology" could be it, I hope it is because it's exactly what I want. You should all know that the only resolution possible that is greater than what it is now is 2048x1536, which is exactly double it's current 1024x768 resolution.

There are two reasons it can't be increased (unless in an increment of its original resolution):

1) If the resolution was to be increased by anything but an increment of its original resolution it wouldn't be able to scale properly like the iPhone 4 does. An example: let's say the resolution was 1536x1152 (1.5x current resolution), a control with uneven dimensions would result in graphic problems, say you had a button that was 101x101 pixels, it would be scaled to 151.5x151.5 which just can't happen.

2) If they were to change the resolution to say 1536x1152 (not scaling like iPhone 4), it would result in more work for the developer as they'd need to support the interface for iPad 1, and iPad 2. Currently with the iPhone, all you do is make your app and supply HD images, iOS automatically scales the app up on the iPhone 4, I really don't see Apple putting more work on iPad developers, they didn't with the iPhone 4 after all.
 
MythicFrost said:
The iPad will very likely be getting a retina display, at least I hope. The rumour of a "new display technology" could be it, I hope it is because it's exactly what I want. You should all know that the only resolution possible that is greater than what it is now is 2048x1536, which is exactly double it's current 1024x768 resolution.

There are two reasons it can't be increased (unless in an increment of its original resolution):

1) If the resolution was to be increased by anything but an increment of its original resolution it wouldn't be able to scale properly like the iPhone 4 does. An example: let's say the resolution was 1536x1152 (1.5x current resolution), a control with uneven dimensions would result in graphic problems, say you had a button that was 101x101 pixels, it would be scaled to 151.5x151.5 which just can't happen.

2) If they were to change the resolution to say 1536x1152 (not scaling like iPhone 4), it would result in more work for the developer as they'd need to support the interface for iPad 1, and iPad 2. Currently with the iPhone, all you do is make your app and supply HD images, iOS automatically scales the app up on the iPhone 4, I really don't see Apple putting more work on iPad developers, they didn't with the iPhone 4 after all.
Click to expand...
^ This.

People can't just pull resolutions out of the air for minor tweaks for the next iPad (maybe let's just bump it up a bit).

App compatibilty and keeping life easy for developers is key. There's still a lot of work to do to get more quality iPad apps out there and one still sees chatter out on the internet along the lines of "Where are the iPad killer apps? They're not really here yet; app developers could do more with the platform.".

It would be a huge, huge risk for Apple to put a speed bump into the developer's path next year (assuming that's when iPad 2 ships) by making all their existing apps look fuzzy (by non-integral scaling) or smaller (by black-bordering the current 1024x768 canvases) and forcing them to recode for yet another resolution. This is why I agree with MythicFrost, it's 2048x1536 or nothing.

I do think that Apple must be dissapointed though that they couldn't ship the first iPad with 1280x960 because pixel-quadrupling that would have given a display that, when technology allowed, would have had almost exactly the same ppi as the iPhone 4 which would have been nicely consistent.

A small part of me says that it would be so nice to have the stage set to pixel-quadruple to a 2560x1920 display when the technology allows, and be consistent with the iPhone, that just maybe Apple might decide that if they have to disrupt the developer base for the iPad then it is better to do it as soon as possible when there are fewer developers and apps affected so they could grit their teeth, cross their fingers, and do a 1280x960 disruptive switch in preparation for a pixel quadrupling a few years after that but personally I'd be surprised if they risked this.

- Julian
 
JulianL said:
Yes but next year, when the iPad 2 launches, will the number of threads be quardupled, the same, or somewhere inbetween?

- Julian
Click to expand...

It can't be "in between" because if there are 101 threads now, if it goes up by 1.5x then we'd need 151.5 threads which obviously can't happen and everything will be fuzzy.
 
As I have posted in many threads before, it is pretty obvious that the next iPad will get a "Retina Display" as "Retina Display" is a marketing term that was created by Apple that they can redefine however they please. However, I found it strange that so many people in the Macrumors community would be so adamant about it not having one so I came up with a few conclusions as to why these people would think this:

  1. They are an engineer with a deep understanding of how display technology works. (not likely)
  2. They are someone that has experience in the manufacturing industry and therefore knows the yield for developing a technology like this (not likely)
  3. New technology is amazing to them and they forget technology gets exponentially better. (somewhat likely)
  4. They are weak minded and will ultimately have to justify paying another $500+ to get the new model and they know they are weak, and don't want such a technology to happen because they already are up to their ears in debt. (Likely)
  5. They don't want it to have this or half of the new stuff the new iPad will probably have just because they will feel like an ******* for buying the first generation. (Very likely)

So which of these do you detractors fit under then?
 
XboxEvolved said:
As I have posted in many threads before, it is pretty obvious that the next iPad will get a "Retina Display" as "Retina Display" is a marketing term that was created by Apple that they can redefine however they please. However, I found it strange that so many people in the Macrumors community would be so adamant about it not having one so I came up with a few conclusions as to why these people would think this:

  1. They are an engineer with a deep understanding of how display technology works. (not likely)
  2. They are someone that has experience in the manufacturing industry and therefore knows the yield for developing a technology like this (not likely)
  3. New technology is amazing to them and they forget technology gets exponentially better. (somewhat likely)
  4. They are weak minded and will ultimately have to justify paying another $500+ to get the new model and they know they are weak, and don't want such a technology to happen because they already are up to their ears in debt. (Likely)
  5. They don't want it to have this or half of the new stuff the new iPad will probably have just because they will feel like an ******* for buying the first generation. (Very likely)

So which of these do you detractors fit under then?
Click to expand...

No, it is as simple as common sense. How many economical 300+ dpi 9.7" IPS panels are out there?
 
Sedulous said:
No, it is as simple as common sense. How many economical 300+ dpi 9.7" IPS panels are out there?
Click to expand...

Perhaps you should read my post then reply?

it is pretty obvious that the next iPad will get a "Retina Display" as "Retina Display" is a marketing term that was created by Apple that they can redefine however they please
Click to expand...

However, the iPad is already an IPS panel and from what I gather making the resolution 1280x1024 (or whatever the next bump up would be) wouldn't be difficult at all and in fact a resolution such as that is pretty likely.
 
I don't know why everyone is getting so excited/heated under collar/angry etc? The rumour is that the next iPad is getting "new display technology". This is very ambiguous (but normal as rumours go) and could mean anything from higher resolution to a different manufacturing technique or a more efficient screen technology. Considering the ambiguity of the rumour, I find it interesting that sole focus of debate is on a resolution bump.

I am happy with the resolution, but wouldn't mind a bit of a battery life bump to 12 or 14 hours. And a new display technology could very well achieve that.
 
XboxEvolved said:
Perhaps you should read my post then reply?
Click to expand...

I did read your post. That is why I commented on it. Apple does not make panels. So, if nobody is making 300+ dpi 10" panels right now, then what can Apple do?

XboxEvolved said:
However, the iPad is already an IPS panel and from what I gather making the resolution 1280x1024 (or whatever the next bump up would be) wouldn't be difficult at all and in fact a resolution such as that is pretty likely.
Click to expand...

I am well aware that the iPad is IPS, again, that is why I mentioned it. I doubt Apple would go for a lower quality panel. It WOULD be difficult to make 2560x2048 displays economically. You are ignoring the fact that Apple has to make these at a palatable price point. If Apple were trying to sell iPads at $1500, adoption rate would have been considerably less.

Until 300 dpi+ 9.7" IPS panels are being manufactured at an economical cost, the "iPad retina display" is entirely fantasy. The hardware and economics just are not there yet. If you are going to fantasize, you might as well for for broke and ask for 3D as well. Even the new Nintendo DS is getting 3D.
 
Last edited:
Yeh, I don't see the ipad getting a retina display anytime soon...

If Apple betters the pixel density without at least doubling it both ways, that would mess up the resolution of the previous gen apps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back