Sharp announces it will ship screens for Apple's next iPhone this month

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Sharp's new president announced on Thursday that his company will begin shipping displays for Apple's next-generation iPhone this month.

Takashi Okuda made a rare public acknowledgement of Apple components while speaking at a press briefing, according to Reuters. The Sharp executive announced that shipments will begin in August, but declined to give any more details on the display.

Apple's sixth-generation iPhone is widely expected to have a slightly taller display that will measure 4-inches diagonally, but will retain the same width as the current iPhone screen. Those rumors have been supported by leaked parts that show a redesigned iPhone with a larger screen.

Sharp has been previously identified as a likely supplier of screens for Apple's next iPhone. The new handset is expected to feature in-cell touch panel technology that will allow the touchscreen to be even thinner, giving Apple more flexibility in the design of its next iPhone.

Apple is expected to hold an event on September 12 to unveil its next iPhone. Historically, Apple publicly launches new iPhone models less than two weeks after they are unveiled.

prototype 3


Sharp has been rumored since late last year to provide its own LCD display technology known as IGZO, or indium gallium zinc oxide, for Apple's portable devices. However, earlier this year it was said that sharp's IGZO technology didn't meet Apple's standards for its third-generation iPad with Retina display.

Earlier this year, Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn bought a 10 percent stake in Sharp, worth $808 million. That investment fueled speculation that both companies were partnering in hopes of securing orders from Apple for a rumored television set from the company.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 86
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Yellow pixels? / joke
  • Reply 2 of 86
    aeleggaelegg Posts: 99member


    Sharp's President, speaking about his company's last contract ever with Apple, said that they'd start shipping.....

  • Reply 3 of 86


    This is good news! Sharp's IGZO displays should be about 30-40% more energy efficient than existing iPhone retina displays.


     


    IGZO TFTs are more transparent, so the backlight doesn't need to be as bright for the same effective brightness.


     


    Along with a more efficient A5 CPU, this is all leading towards Apple make a thinner, lighter new iPhone which has the same or better battery life compared to the 4S.

  • Reply 4 of 86
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    aelegg wrote: »
    Sharp's President, speaking about his company's last contract ever with Apple, said that they'd start shipping.....

    I'd cut him some slack. Sharp is having a hard time right now and the shareholders need some good news. I'd rather see Apple using Sharp than Samsung for anything they can make.
  • Reply 5 of 86
    herbapouherbapou Posts: 2,228member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by aelegg View Post


    Sharp's President, speaking about his company's last contract ever with Apple, said that they'd start shipping.....





    I dont think so, this is deliberated... and Apple is trying hard to flush out Samsung from its supply chain, it cant afford to throw away suppliers for no reasons.

  • Reply 6 of 86

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post





    I'd cut him some slack. Sharp is having a hard time right now and the shareholders need some good news. I'd rather see Apple using Sharp than Samsung for anything they can make.


    I agree. The more stuff they can move away from Samsung the better

  • Reply 7 of 86
    allenbfallenbf Posts: 993member


    If they are shipping displays THIS month, is it really possible for Apple to announce an iPhone on Sept 12, ship on Sept 21?  Seems to be  a tight window to me.

  • Reply 8 of 86
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    allenbf wrote: »
    If they are shipping displays THIS month, is it really possible for Apple to announce an iPhone on Sept 12, ship on Sept 21?  Seems to be  a tight window to me.

    It always amazes me how fast Apple can ramp up production but it may be shown with limited availability and announced to ship in quantity soon thus giving some extra time.
  • Reply 9 of 86
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    herbapou wrote: »

    I dont think so, this is deliberated... and Apple is trying hard to flush out Samsung from its supply chain, it cant afford to throw away suppliers for no reasons.

    Agreed. That flush can't come soon enough!
  • Reply 10 of 86
    ssquirrelssquirrel Posts: 1,196member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rennaisance View Post


    This is good news! Sharp's IGZO displays should be about 30-40% more energy efficient than existing iPhone retina displays.


     


    IGZO TFTs are more transparent, so the backlight doesn't need to be as bright for the same effective brightness.


     


    Along with a more efficient A5 CPU, this is all leading towards Apple make a thinner, lighter new iPhone which has the same or better battery life compared to the 4S.



     


    The next iPhone doesn't need to be any thinner.  Extend the body for the bigger screen, add more antennas to cover the new LTEs, maybe 802.11ac, fill any extra internal space with battery. 

  • Reply 11 of 86


    So much for "Doubling Down on Secrecy".

  • Reply 12 of 86
    gordygordy Posts: 1,004member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by aelegg View Post


    Sharp's President, speaking about his company's last contract ever with Apple, said that they'd start shipping.....



     


    Considering the Samsung drama, Apple may just give them a slap on the wrist.

  • Reply 13 of 86
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by aelegg View Post


    Sharp's President, speaking about his company's last contract ever with Apple, said that they'd start shipping.....



     


    You could at least explain yourself if you're going to make a quick nasty remark like this.  


     


    From what I've heard the new "closeness" that Apple, Foxcon, & Sharp are sharing this year is the beginning of a long, long relationship.  They will likely be the ones producing the screens for the Apple Television as well.  I don't see that they are going anywhere or that anyone has a problem with their technology or performance.  Why all the outside investments if that's the case?  

  • Reply 14 of 86
    DaekwanDaekwan Posts: 175member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post





    I'd cut him some slack. Sharp is having a hard time right now and the shareholders need some good news. I'd rather see Apple using Sharp than Samsung for anything they can make.


    Not only that.  But he simply said they were going to start shipping panels for the next Apple phone in August. 


     


    He didnt say:


     


    What the panels looked like (size, dimensions, resolution)


    What technology the panels were using


    When the next iPhone will release


    Any extra details about the next iPhone


     


    I dont think anybody will be shocked or surprised to hear that Apple is releasing a "new" phone sometime this fall.  If anything all he did was give his company a positive boost and also help Apple give the dirty eye to Samsung.  Clearly its real proof that Samsung is losing precious Apple contracts.  Remains to be seen exactly how many more reprocussions Samsung will end up suffering from that whole copying thing with Apple.  You dont bite the hand that feeds you.

  • Reply 15 of 86

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by gordy View Post


     


    Considering the Samsung drama, Apple may just give them a slap on the wrist.



     


    Yeah, it's probably a controlled leak.

  • Reply 16 of 86
    DaekwanDaekwan Posts: 175member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by allenbf View Post


    If they are shipping displays THIS month, is it really possible for Apple to announce an iPhone on Sept 12, ship on Sept 21?  Seems to be  a tight window to me.



    I read somewhere that Tim Cook has the supply chain so tight & efficient that the average iPhone/iPad sits in the supply chain for 5 days.  Meaning yeah.. August shipment = September phones on store shelves.

  • Reply 17 of 86
    DaekwanDaekwan Posts: 175member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SSquirrel View Post


     


    The next iPhone doesn't need to be any thinner.  Extend the body for the bigger screen, add more antennas to cover the new LTEs, maybe 802.11ac, fill any extra internal space with battery. 



    Agreed..


     


    I'll trade thinner phone, for a same size phone with 50% more battery life.  What good is 4G/LTE and .11ac high speed, if your phone is dead? 

  • Reply 18 of 86
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    This seems very odd in many ways. I can't expect that shipping a component only this month would lead to quantities ready for sale next month. I can't imagine that Apple would allow Sharp to speak of this. Some might say Apple can't do anything about it but believe me when I say they have contracts that protect them from executives talking.

    Did the original comment specifically state it was the iPhone or was that an assumption? If Sharp wants their IGZO displays to gain traction and their quality is less than displays Apple currently uses then this might be perfect for a small, cheap tablet.
  • Reply 19 of 86
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    aelegg wrote: »
    Sharp's President, speaking about his company's last contract ever with Apple, said that they'd start shipping.....

    You assume that they didn't ask for, and receive permission, to make this announcement. Steve might said no but he's dead and his rules don't necessarily apply should Tim want to say yes to such things,

    Apple is constantly working on improving the internals, especially the display. So they might feel the implications in this announcement are a 'leak' they are okay with.
  • Reply 20 of 86

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Big Brother 84 View Post


    I agree. The more stuff they can move away from Samsung the better





    Unfortunately it's just not that possible. That's like trying to use the internet and not having SOME type of even passive interaction with Google. Samsung is simply too big to ignore and really the only ones that can provide the scale of what they make for what Apple needs.

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