Rumor: Delayed Retina iPad mini launch blamed on LCD burn-in issues
A rumor out of the Far East claims issues relating to burn-in on Sharp-made LCD panels is holding up Apple's release of the iPad mini with Retina display, supposedly prompting the company to seek help from Samsung.
Citing an industry source, Korean language publication ETNews claims Apple partner manufacturer Sharp is having problems with its advanced IGZO display technology, causing low yield rates for Retina panels bound for the second-generation iPad mini. This unforeseen setback is purportedly slowing down the production process substantially, leading Apple to look elsewhere for additional supply.
Supposedly at fault are malfunctions relating to Sharp's thin-film transistor, or TFT, implementation, which is causing burn-in on an unknown percentage of produced displays. The Japanese firm is said to be employing low-power IGZO display technology, so named because it uses semiconductor material indium gallium zinc oxide for the LCD's TFT backplane.
The source went on to say that although Sharp's LCD burn-in is not visible to the naked eye, the panels cannot be used due to Apple's strict Retina display standards.
While Sharp is thought to be Apple's secondary Retina display supplier for the new mini, the company is reportedly responsible for 40 percent of all orders, with LG taking the remaining 60 percent. According to the report, LG is using a different, more common substrate called amorphous silicon, or a-Si, for its TFTs.
Apple may be looking to Samsung for display supply for the Retina mini starting in 2014, as the Korean tech giant's low temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) technology is not affected by the burn-in issue, the source said.
Thursday's rumor echoes a report from last week, which also claimed Apple was eyeing a Samsung deal due to Sharp's panel yield issues. That account, however, added that LG is also experiencing problems with its version of the high-resolution screen, quoting a DisplaySearch analyst as saying the display maker was "not close to full production."
Apple announced the iPad mini with Retina display in October alongside the recently-released iPad Air. The full-size tablet started shipping last week, but Apple has yet to disclose a sell-by date for the mini, but promises the tablet will hit store shelves in November.
Citing an industry source, Korean language publication ETNews claims Apple partner manufacturer Sharp is having problems with its advanced IGZO display technology, causing low yield rates for Retina panels bound for the second-generation iPad mini. This unforeseen setback is purportedly slowing down the production process substantially, leading Apple to look elsewhere for additional supply.
Supposedly at fault are malfunctions relating to Sharp's thin-film transistor, or TFT, implementation, which is causing burn-in on an unknown percentage of produced displays. The Japanese firm is said to be employing low-power IGZO display technology, so named because it uses semiconductor material indium gallium zinc oxide for the LCD's TFT backplane.
The source went on to say that although Sharp's LCD burn-in is not visible to the naked eye, the panels cannot be used due to Apple's strict Retina display standards.
While Sharp is thought to be Apple's secondary Retina display supplier for the new mini, the company is reportedly responsible for 40 percent of all orders, with LG taking the remaining 60 percent. According to the report, LG is using a different, more common substrate called amorphous silicon, or a-Si, for its TFTs.
Apple may be looking to Samsung for display supply for the Retina mini starting in 2014, as the Korean tech giant's low temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) technology is not affected by the burn-in issue, the source said.
Thursday's rumor echoes a report from last week, which also claimed Apple was eyeing a Samsung deal due to Sharp's panel yield issues. That account, however, added that LG is also experiencing problems with its version of the high-resolution screen, quoting a DisplaySearch analyst as saying the display maker was "not close to full production."
Apple announced the iPad mini with Retina display in October alongside the recently-released iPad Air. The full-size tablet started shipping last week, but Apple has yet to disclose a sell-by date for the mini, but promises the tablet will hit store shelves in November.
Comments
I doubt Samsung could match the low prices of that other technology.
Running back to daddy...
LOL. I seriously think Samsung and Apple will be stronger if they can get along. All it will take is for Samsung to license Apple's IP the same way Microsoft did. I think the same about Apple & Google too - Google software & services like Google Now are far more impressive than what Apple comes up with.
Ah, yes.
Daddy, the innovative creator of the initial personal computer for the masses, the modern GUI, the mouse, numerous interface standards, the modern MP3 player, the current digital music industry, the best retail experiences in the world, not to mention the best customer service in the world, a company responsible for ALL of today's smartphones, cool, stylish computers for the masses, and the modern tablet industry.
Yeah, "Daddy" has been responsible for a lot of Apple's success.
Bullshit
"
If the human eye cannot detect it; it good enough for the consumer. Let the display production go forward!
Apple has never had a problem shipping bad displays before. Why stop now?
I've seen everything from dead pixels to fingerprints and debris under the cover glass to nasty looking yellow screens to severe backlight bleeding. At most, maybe one in ten are actually free of noticeable defects.
"Oops a meddling percent of our displays suffer burn-in", is not the kind of problem that pops up at the 11th hour. Even if such an obvious problem was encountered it would have been apparent during development testing many many months ago.
Soooo.. as rumors go.. This one I'd put on the not likely category.. or at the very least, the facts are all jumbled. It's almost like they got the names LG and Sharp swapped around..
Look at the Retina MBP history.. tons of LG screens in the last gen and current generation rMBP have burn in issues. :smokey:
For you it's running back to mama!
You expect us to believe you've seen all of those firsthand? At least when you make dumb comments- try to make them slightly believable instead of all encompassing.
APPLE DOES NOT OWN THE PRIMARY TECHNOLOGY - DISPLAYS.