Apple's 7.85-inch iPad mini and future iPads may adopt ITO film coating
A so-called 'iPad mini' reportedly in the works at Apple for a late 2012 release may be the first of the company's tablet devices to include displays coated with indium tin oxide (ITO), an electrically conductive transparent substance that acts as an EMI shield and helps reduce radio interference.
A Taiwan company by the name of Efun Technology has reportedly seen profits double in recent years due to its production of flexible substrates coated with iTO films. The super-thin and lightweight coatings help reduce radio frequency interference in mobile devices while also acting as electromagnetic shields.
Much of the company's recent success has reportedly come from applications of its ITO technology on Samsung's mobile handsets, but the more recent buzz around the firm's forward-looking prospects reportedly hinges on rumors that Apple has become its latest customer ahead of launching its much-rumored iPad mini tablet.
The 7.85-inch device will reportedly be the first from the Cupertino-based company to employ Efun's ITO technology, as reports out of the Far East suggest that the fourth-generation 9.7-inch iPad will also receive the same treatment closer to its launch next year.
In addition to benefiting from ITO applications, Efun has also reportedly seen increased profits due to shipments of micro-lens films used in LCD TVs for Japan- and Korea-based customers. It's said to be the only producer among Taiwan-based makers of optical films.
Meanwhile, backlight unit suppliers for existing iPad designs are said to be bracing for a near-term hit to revenues as Apple adjusts orders for its industry-leading tablets in preparation for the launch of the iPad mini.
A Taiwan company by the name of Efun Technology has reportedly seen profits double in recent years due to its production of flexible substrates coated with iTO films. The super-thin and lightweight coatings help reduce radio frequency interference in mobile devices while also acting as electromagnetic shields.
Much of the company's recent success has reportedly come from applications of its ITO technology on Samsung's mobile handsets, but the more recent buzz around the firm's forward-looking prospects reportedly hinges on rumors that Apple has become its latest customer ahead of launching its much-rumored iPad mini tablet.
The 7.85-inch device will reportedly be the first from the Cupertino-based company to employ Efun's ITO technology, as reports out of the Far East suggest that the fourth-generation 9.7-inch iPad will also receive the same treatment closer to its launch next year.
In addition to benefiting from ITO applications, Efun has also reportedly seen increased profits due to shipments of micro-lens films used in LCD TVs for Japan- and Korea-based customers. It's said to be the only producer among Taiwan-based makers of optical films.
Meanwhile, backlight unit suppliers for existing iPad designs are said to be bracing for a near-term hit to revenues as Apple adjusts orders for its industry-leading tablets in preparation for the launch of the iPad mini.
Comments
Sounds like some device that could be incorporated into Bill's "World Toilet". I understand his child's toilet already may use the "BOB" operating system.
Quote:
"as reports out of the Far East suggest"
So now we can't even name DigiTimes? it's an "unnamed report, from an unnamed source" now?
And 'recent years... profits doubled'? How many years (10?) How much profit ($20.00 to $40.00 and that is in dollars not millions). Can we have any more vague a story...
Sigh.
Tinfoil caps work really well for reducing radio interference too...
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
A so-called 'iPad mini' reportedly in the works at Apple for a late 2012 release may be the first of the company's tablet devices to include displays coated with indium tin oxide (ITO), an electrically conductive transparent substance that acts as an EMI shield and helps reduce radio interference.
A Taiwan company by the name of Efun Technology has reportedly seen profits double in recent years due to its production of flexible substrates coated with iTO films. The super-thin and lightweight coatings help reduce radio frequency interference in mobile devices while also acting as electromagnetic shields.
Much of the company's recent success has reportedly come from applications of its ITO technology on Samsung's mobile handsets, but the more recent buzz around the firm's forward-looking prospects reportedly hinges on rumors that Apple has become its latest customer ahead of launching its much-rumored iPad mini tablet.
The 7.85-inch device will reportedly be the first from the Cupertino-based company to employ Efun's ITO technology, as reports out of the Far East suggest that the fourth-generation 9.7-inch iPad will also receive the same treatment closer to its launch next year.
In addition to benefiting from ITO applications, Efun has also reportedly seen increased profits due to shipments of micro-lens films used in LCD TVs for Japan- and Korea-based customers. It's said to be the only producer among Taiwan-based makers of optical films.
Meanwhile, backlight unit suppliers for existing iPad designs are said to be bracing for a near-term hit to revenues as Apple adjusts orders for its industry-leading tablets in preparation for the launch of the iPad mini.
Mot likely this is just being poorly explained but I don't see the benefit. There's a problem with EM radiation penetrating a mobile device from the front through the screen? If it's such a benefit, what is the benefit exactly. Do Samsung's phones with this layer perform better? How? It all seems very sketchy to me.
I hope it goes underneath some other coating as well. It seems like a bad idea from the get-go to coat a surface that millions of people touch everyday with a chemical of unknown properties.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Meanwhile, backlight unit suppliers for existing iPad designs are said to be bracing for a near-term hit to revenues as Apple adjusts orders for its industry-leading tablets in preparation for the launch of the iPad mini.
An iPad mini would certainly cannibalise an iPad sale from me. When I originally bought an iPad I was not sure what I wanted to use it for, but wanted to try out the new paradigm and see what happened. I think maybe Steve envisioned it like a general purpose tablet like people use in Sci Fi movies.
In reality, I continued to use a computer as a general purpose device and mostly used the iPad for reading books, and any emails that arrived while I was reading, and light web browsing when the book got boring. Given that outcome, an iPad mini would probably make more sense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOtherGeoff
Tinfoil caps work really well for reducing radio interference too...
Get with the times! The hats are now ITO coated mylar.
er ITO is used in almost all transparent electrodes. Its a big problem actually as indium is in short and dwindling supply. Any conductive coating with have some screening effect.
I'm glad Apple might do this to help capture some of the cheaper tablet market share, but I have no interest in getting one. My retina display iPad is perfect for me.
That said I agree with the basic tone which is disbelief. If they are working with Apple then they are likely under an NDA. If not, then they could be letting out hints to improve the company value
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleFanPro
I'm glad Apple might do this to help capture some of the cheaper tablet market share, but I have no interest in getting one. My retina display iPad is perfect for me.
It's not just about getting the cost down. A small tablet makes for a better book reader.
When should I start shaving my fingers?
Obviously, those naysayers saying that the 7" range of tablets has no market is completely wrong.
More importantly, those same people (due to their stubborn belief that Apple will not "stoop that low" and follow market trend) believed that Apple will "never" produce a tablet in between the size of the iPad and the iPhone, and that they dont see a reason for it. Also, many of those people stated that it will only introduce "fragmentation" into the world of iOS.
I hope they (you know who you are) eat their own words.
I AM eagerly shaving my fingers in anticipation and looking forward to those people eating their words as well!
As a long time reader here I know who they are tool!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by UrbanVerb
I AM eagerly shaving my fingers in anticipation and looking forward to those people eating their words as well!
As a long time reader here I know who they are tool!!
In the world of Apple, and Apple fans, everything Apple does is perfect and everything Apple doesn't do is unbelievably terrible and wrong. Until Apple changes it's mind of course, then we'll just forget all the hating that happened the day before and embrace the new right! Apple is never wrong, NEVER!
Originally Posted by kotatsu
In the world of Apple, and Apple fans, everything Apple does is perfect and everything Apple doesn't do is unbelievably terrible and wrong. Until Apple changes it's mind of course, then we'll just forget all the hating that happened the day before and embrace the new right! Apple is never wrong, NEVER!
In the world of the Anti-Apple Brigade, the above is what they believe.
It's entirely possible that Apple changed their mind. I know I have, and I'm pretty sure everyone on this board has changed their mind about something at some point.
It's simple really ... even though it's an iPad market, there is enough evidence that a cheaper, 7" tablet will be purchased by enough people that it's worth exploring. The fact that Kindle Fire, BlackBerry PlayBook and (supposedly) Google Nexus 7 all sold more than a million units to customers suggest there's something there. And other players are also releasing the 7" form factor.
Apple has the brand, the ecosystem subsidy and the economics of scale to be able to profit from it, so why not if they can make it work financially and from a product point of view?
Originally Posted by Drac
…there is enough evidence that a cheaper, 7" tablet will be purchased by enough people that it's worth exploring. ,,,(supposedly)…
The last word there is the key one, but everything we've ever seen says that there is zero actual market for a smaller device, regardless of how many are shipped. Yep, shipped. Sold is far fewer and used is infinitesimal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
The last word there is the key one, but everything we've ever seen says that there is zero actual market for a smaller device, regardless of how many are shipped. Yep, shipped. Sold is far fewer and used is infinitesimal.
Vendors can very much "stuff the channel" and ship units into stores ... for a while. But it doesn't last, because if they don't sell, they get sent back; and the retailers stop taking more units in to replentish stock. No vendor on earth can keep shipping 500,000 units to stores quarter after quarter if only 20,000 of them actually get bought. The stores would send them back because they're filling up shelf space. When you see crazy price cuts, it's usually to move inventory in the stores and get the retailers ordering again. When HP did the firesale on the Touchpad, it was to keep the resellers from sending in back and so they could recoup some money.
it's pointless to make claims about the ship vs. sellthrough vs. daily use, unless you have market data to back it up.
Originally Posted by Drac
it's pointless to make claims about the ship vs. sellthrough vs. daily use, unless you have market data to back it up.
Samsung just proved me right in court, unless they lied twice.
And the fact that 95% of all tablets actually connected to the Internet are iPads says a lot about everything (10", 8", 7"…) else being used at all.