Rumor: Apple taps Samsung to take over iPad mini display manufacturing from Sharp, AU Optronics

Posted:
in iPad edited April 2014
A fresh rumor out of Korea indicates that Apple has begun a round of consolidation among its display manufacturing partners, shifting orders from current suppliers Sharp and AU Optronics to smartphone rival Samsung.

iPad mini


AU Optronics is believed to have fallen out of the iPad mini supply chain completely, while Sharp has had its orders significantly curtailed. The changes are expected to become effective in the second half of 2014, according to a report from Korea's ETNews discovered by GforGames.

Samsung will reportedly take over Sharp's slot in the production of high-resolution Retina display panels for the second-generation iPad mini, strengthening its relationship with Apple even while the two companies battle in court. Fellow South Korean manufacturer LG, which also makes Retina components, is thought to be unaffected by the supply chain movements.

There is no word on who Apple will turn to for the original iPad mini's non-Retina screen with AU Optronics out of the picture, perhaps an indication that the tablet is set to be discontinued. Earlier Tuesday, Apple removed the iPad 2 from store shelves, leaving the iPad mini as the only non-Retina device left in the iPad lineup.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37
    andreidandreid Posts: 96member
    Ended reading here: A fresh rumor out of Korea...
  • Reply 2 of 37
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    Other sources report the move may be due to a relatively poor display performance on the current Mini Retina. Seems as tho Samsung is one of the very few display manufacturers able to deliver consistent quality which is probably why Apple keeps going back to them. . .

    assuming this rumor is true.
  • Reply 3 of 37
    imemberimember Posts: 247member

    Shamesung don't you dare to put your filthy hands on the iPad!

  • Reply 4 of 37
    sudonymsudonym Posts: 233member

    This is just temporary.  Apple is giving less and less to Samsung all the time.  They will cut them off completely real soon now.

  • Reply 5 of 37
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Other sources report the move may be due to a relatively poor display performance on the current Mini Retina. Seems as tho Samsung is one of the very few display manufacturers able to deliver consistent quality which is probably why Apple keeps going back to them. . .

    assuming this rumor is true.

    "Other sources" won't do here, and what does "relatively poor display performance" mean? Please clarify, seriously.
  • Reply 6 of 37
    patpatpatpatpatpat Posts: 628member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by iMember View Post

     

    Shamesung don't you dare to put your filthy hands on the iPad!


    You are obviously unaware that Samsung make internal components for the iPad already....

  • Reply 7 of 37
    patpatpatpatpatpat Posts: 628member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SudoNym View Post

     

    This is just temporary.  Apple is giving less and less to Samsung all the time.  They will cut them off completely real soon now.


    In this case Apple is giving More and More to Samsung as they are already providing components for the iPad. Your comment is meaningless. 

  • Reply 8 of 37
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member

    If true, companies like Apple and Dell created a monster by investing hundreds of millions of dollars into Samsung's display business back in the late 90s. 

  • Reply 9 of 37
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by patpatpat View Post

     

    You are obviously unaware that Samsung make internal components for the iPad already....


     

    And Apple is cutting them out wherever they can, like moving processor production to TSMC.

     

    Someday we'll have Samsung-free Apple products.  Though I'm sure the Samsung fanboys will continue to flock to Apple user forums to cry the gospel of Android.

  • Reply 10 of 37
    doggonedoggone Posts: 377member
    The problem with making millions of high end products is getting quality components.

    I had high hopes for Sharp but their internal issues may have not been resolved.
  • Reply 11 of 37
    I have no problem with this, Samsung makes great displays. I'm not at all a fan of samsung but id rather have the best components in the products I buy. Sharpe makes great displays as well, they must not be able to keep up with the demand. LG is horrible at displays, hopefully Apple will nix them soon.
  • Reply 12 of 37
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    flaneur wrote: »
    "Other sources" won't do here, and what does "relatively poor display performance" mean? Please clarify, seriously.
    1000
    There's been several reviews pointing out the somewhat poor color gamut on the Mini Retina compared to the Air's Retina for instance, as show above. The Mini is the bottom one of course.

    Even compared to similar 7-8" displays from rivals the Mini Retina didn't fare as well.
    http://www.displaymate.com/Tablet_ShootOut_4.htm

    Add in reported screen burn-in problems with Sharp's IGZO panels, leading to rumors like these of Apple leaning more heavily on Samsung for their consistent display quality for the next gen iPad Mini.
    http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/11/apple-under-the-gun-to-quickly-solve-current-burn-in-problems-with-retina-display-for-the-new-ipad-mini.html

    The current Mini Retina's display just doesn't appear to be up to typical Apple standards.
  • Reply 13 of 37
    patpatpatpatpatpat Posts: 628member
    redhotfuzz wrote: »
    And Apple is cutting them out wherever they can, like moving processor production to TSMC.

    Someday we'll have Samsung-free Apple products.  Though I'm sure the Samsung fanboys will continue to flock to Apple user forums to cry the gospel of Android.
    Show me some proof of that, that is not an unsubstantiated rumor. Last I read Samsung were selected for next generation A8 production.
    As much as you want to believe that Apple is moving away from Samsung, there is no evidence to support your case.
  • Reply 14 of 37
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,030member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post



    assuming this rumor is true.

    That's a bad assumption.

     

    Probably 95% of rumors coming from Southeast Asian media sources and the supply chain end up resulting in erroneous conclusions.

  • Reply 15 of 37
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    redhotfuzz wrote: »
    And Apple is cutting them out wherever they can, like moving processor production to TSMC.

    Someday they may well move production over to TSMC but that rumor has been going around for years now and hasn't turned out to be true yet.
  • Reply 16 of 37
    imemberimember Posts: 247member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by patpatpat View Post

     

    You are obviously unaware that Samsung make internal components for the iPad already....


    You mean that cheap lag micro processors, that every company stays away from it except Apple because they have the ability to take something $hitty and transform it into a great processor A7 chip the most powerfull mobile processor on the market right now

  • Reply 17 of 37
    negafoxnegafox Posts: 480member

    That's unpossible! I thought the previous rumors were that Apple was trying to kick Samsung to the curb for manufacturing parts, not relying on them further.

  • Reply 18 of 37
    patpatpatpatpatpat Posts: 628member
    Yes, that one, and almost every A# before it including the laggy and shitty ones in iPhone 3G and 3GS.
  • Reply 19 of 37
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,415member
    I am glad - I find the display quality to be inferior with iPad Air. I bought it and I couldn't stand the dark tinge on the left side so I took it back and complained. I still use iPad 3 (the one with old connector). I noticed the pattern on all iPads and it made me think that it's a shoddy quality workship of non-Samsung.

    Samsung is a scum but there's no denying that it does produce HIGH QUALITY products and seems to have excellent team that produce exceptional results.
  • Reply 20 of 37
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    gatorguy wrote: »
    1000
    There's been several reviews pointing out the somewhat poor color gamut on the Mini Retina compared to the Air's Retina for instance, as show above. The Mini is the bottom one of course.

    Even compared to similar 7-8" displays from rivals the Mini Retina didn't fare as well.
    http://www.displaymate.com/Tablet_ShootOut_4.htm

    Add in reported screen burn-in problems with Sharp's IGZO panels, leading to rumors like these of Apple leaning more heavily on Samsung for their consistent display quality for the next gen iPad Mini.
    http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/11/apple-under-the-gun-to-quickly-solve-current-burn-in-problems-with-retina-display-for-the-new-ipad-mini.html

    The current Mini Retina's display just doesn't appear to be up to typical Apple standards.
    Is the Air's display coming from Samsung? I wasn't aware that the less color gamut was due to the displays not coming from Samsung.
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