I've been enjoying looking through these mockups and the ideas in this thread about this rumored netbook / tablet device... I have this feeling this thing is going to be a hybrid that's part touch-based tablet when on the go, and part tiny iMac at home (or the coffee shop).
I stayed up way too late last night writing about this idea in post on my blog:
But the Newton had all those features 15 years ago! Fifteen years!
On an iPhone, can you open any app and then 'email' that page to someone?
You can with some applications, but not generally. On the Newton you could email or fax any page from any application.
On an iPhone can you have any text read to you aloud (or via headphones)?
I'm so surprised about the hoopla the Kindle 2 caused about reading out eBooks.
The Newton could do that 15 years ago! Any eBook, email, web page, literally any text you had could be turned into an AudioBook instantly. That was standard (if you downloaded the free Macintalk app).
Can the iPhone do that?
No. Not even 15 years later.
Interestingly, for this discussion, a new post at AI today is talking about the appearance of data detectors in the iPhone 3.0 OS.
More generally, I think this is the kind of thing that points to a competitive advantage for the iPhone-- the fact that it is, by and large, OS X, and that technologies developed for the desktop can be deployed on the handset.
IMO it makes it much more likely that the iPhone will evolve into "the new Newton" (plus, of course, all the advantages that the intervening years have brought, like high resolution color touch screen, ubiquitous connectivity, cloud functionality, etc.) than rival phones that are working solely in the domain of "phone" operating systems.
As you say, the Newton's cross-application integration puts the Pre's "synergy" to shame, and who better to recapture that kind of experience than Apple?
I've been enjoying looking through these mockups and the ideas in this thread about this rumored netbook / tablet device... I have this feeling this thing is going to be a hybrid that's part touch-based tablet when on the go, and part tiny iMac at home (or the coffee shop).
I stayed up way too late last night writing about this idea in post on my blog:
I blew off work today (I'm in New York) because of the weather being almost 70 degrees F.
Booyaa!
Going to go enjoy a short for a run around the neighborhood now (3 miler oughta do it). And when I get back I will read your blog and post some more theories.
I've been enjoying looking through these mockups and the ideas in this thread about this rumored netbook / tablet device... I have this feeling this thing is going to be a hybrid that's part touch-based tablet when on the go, and part tiny iMac at home (or the coffee shop).
I stayed up way too late last night writing about this idea in post on my blog:
I've read through your post and your right. Tthe slate idea is a popular theory on what shape this device is going to take. The problem with it though is that it eliminates the pocketability (made up word) of said device. That is why I'm hoping that Steve is motivated to debut a cutting edge mobile device with flexible screen technology. As you see in the Kyocera prototype above, such a device would totally blur the lines between "notebook" computers and cell phones.
But alas, perhaps such a device is beyond the vision of even Steve Jobs. Perhaps Apple will not be the company that ushers in what would be a new era for computers. A "slate" or "tablet" might really be the thing we see from Apple in the coming months. I for one hope it at least resembles the prototype below:
Although, I would rather it did not have a stylus and uses multi-touch....of course. I think this design here would totally own and would rule especially in the education sector. Go to the link if you want to get some background on the prototype and see some giant resolution versions of those pics.
A flexible display would certainly be very cool, but wildly out of character for the current Apple, which prefers to work with reasonably well established tech put together in new ways.
Also, I don't think you have to be too despairing of Apple's lack of vision if they fail to produce a product using display technology that doesn't appear ready for mainstream products, anywhere.
The Kyocera isn't a "prototype", it's a "concept." Most concepts never make it to the prototyping stage, and most prototypes never make it to the shipping product stage.
A flexible display would certainly be very cool, but wildly out of character for the current Apple, which prefers to work with reasonably well established tech put together in new ways.
Also, I don't think you have to be too despairing of Apple's lack of vision if they fail to produce a product using display technology that doesn't appear ready for mainstream products, anywhere.
The Kyocera isn't a "prototype", it's a "concept." Most concepts never make it to the prototyping stage, and most prototypes never make it to the shipping product stage.
Then I hope it is at least similar to the "papyrus" slate prototype pictured above in my last post.
Then I hope it is at least similar to the "papyrus" slate prototype pictured above in my last post.
I can't quite tell what that is. They're making a pretty unbelievable claim about the target selling price ($100 for a huge color e-ink touch display?), which makes me think this is purely in the realm of blue sky doodling.
Even at that, they're talking about a very limited feature set, more of super-Kindle than a pared down tablet.
What part of this were you hoping Apple would replicate?
I can't quite tell what that is. They're making a pretty unbelievable claim about the target selling price ($100 for a huge color e-ink touch display?), which makes me think this is purely in the realm of blue sky doodling.
Even at that, they're talking about a very limited feature set, more of super-Kindle than a pared down tablet.
What part of this were you hoping Apple would replicate?
The general dimensions for one (8+1/2 by 11). Also, I would assume the iDevice will have built in 1st party apps just like the the iphone/ipod touch. And I would hope that they are very powerful and interactive roughly along the lines of what the pictures above are suggesting. I didn't care about the exact specs from that papyrus concept really. I just liked the picture. I'm trying to communicate general ideas here.
And whether or not the display on this device turns out to be flexible it would really need to be some variant of an OLED to take advantage of power savings and also device thickness (in other words as thin as possible).
All you tech blog surfers should have seen this brand new Kyocera prototype by now. This is a closer example of what I think the "tablet" should be like if Apple uses flexible OLED technology.
This is very close to what I've imagined at times. Usually a single fold instead of a try fold design.
Quote:
Note: there are different types of flexible OLED technology that have been in existence for a couple years now that already addresses issues such as low cost, and extended life span. An apple prototype that can be approved by Steve Jobs for mass production CAN be done NOW not years from now.
Yes this is very important for people to understand the screen tech is there. I actually see the other mechanical parts as a bigger issue.
Also people simply can't use the price of a TV with an OLED screen as an indicator of the cost of the screen tech. An OLED can be very cost effective and in the right product a huge advantage.
Quote:
It is a race against time to see which tech company will come out with such a device first. And they all don't want it to be Apple because they know Apple will patent the hell out of it and it will be game over for them....again.
Well there is a limit to what Apple can patent. What they can do is go with an exclusive contract with suppliers. Just like Apples 40% presence in the Flash mark gives them huge pricing advantages. The problem for the competition, if Apple gets everthing right on the device, is that they end up with huge market share immediately where as the competition has to work for it.
A flexible display would certainly be very cool, but wildly out of character for the current Apple, which prefers to work with reasonably well established tech put together in new ways.
That is not the Apple I know about as it continues to innovate with new tech across it's product line. Going to an OLED screen is less of a jump than when the iMac first went to a LCD screen.
Quote:
Also, I don't think you have to be too despairing of Apple's lack of vision if they fail to produce a product using display technology that doesn't appear ready for mainstream products, anywhere.
I keep hearing this yet OLED screens are already shipping in real products. Maybe a cell phone isn't mainstream enough for you.
Quote:
The Kyocera isn't a "prototype", it's a "concept." Most concepts never make it to the prototyping stage, and most prototypes never make it to the shipping product stage.
There are a huge number of companies that are involved in OLED technology, there is a "right" tech out there for all of Apples IPod products. Yes this stuff is transition from prototyping to production but all products have to do that sooner or later. How quickly Apple will adopt the tech for anyone product depends upon what features they can leverage positively. The low power nature and thinnest of OLED make them very attractive to manufactures of handheld devices. Even if this big device doesn't go OLED I can see Apple adopting such on other devices in the iPod line up.
I keep hearing this yet OLED screens are already shipping in real products. Maybe a cell phone isn't mainstream enough for you.
Apple's simple lineup paired with it's premium setup does afford it the opportunity to get newer tech at lower prices, and the low power and thinness are things Apple would obviously be into, but I have seen no other phone or PMP with this option so I can't help but think that it may be cost prohibitive at this time. What products have OLED screens around 3.5" on the diagonal? Any idea how much this display would cost?
This is Apple Insider, with a rich tradition of enthusiastic speculation and wish lists, but:
I think when people get too fired up about cutting edge tech and startling, game changing form factors, they're just setting themselves up for disappointment.
I think it far more likely that, should Apple bring out some kind of touch screen tablet/slate thing, that it will use conventional LCD tech. It will be very thin, quite elegant, have a sealed battery, sure, but OLED? Flexible displays? Some kind of folding-fu? No.
Even at, say, around 8", OLED is just cost prohibitive, Apple's purchasing power notwithstanding.
Kodak has a 7.6" OLED wireless picture frame/display, which is little more than the display itself, a bit of memory and a WiFi chipset, and they priced it at $1000. And that's before you have to add touch tech, and, you know, a computer.
How enthusiastic is everyone going to be is Apple's "netbook killer" costs $2000?
So I'm going to be pleasantly surprised if Apple makes a nice, smallish touch tablet thing that comes in somewhere in the vicinity of $1000, rather than bummed that it isn't a magic thing from the future.
Apple's simple lineup paired with it's premium setup does afford it the opportunity to get newer tech at lower prices, and the low power and thinness are things Apple would obviously be into, but I have seen no other phone or PMP with this option so I can't help but think that it may be cost prohibitive at this time. What products have OLED screens around 3.5" on the diagonal? Any idea how much this display would cost?
This, apparently, and priced in iPod Touch territory.
Normally, I would expect Apple to drag their heal on incorporating the new hotness while more and more of their competitors dive in, but the power savings are significant and Apple is clearly very concerned with batter life. So who knows, maybe the Sony is an indication that the next iPhone/Touch will go OLED.
Unless the Sony is a Japanese only proof of concept sort of thing that they're selling at cost, for bragging rights, which wouldn't be out of character for Sony.
Hmmm.... as I look at that Sony more, I see that it's got a 3" screen vs. the iPhone/Touch's 3.5"-- I suspect that in OLED land the cost difference isn't insignificant.
Still, in this time of increased competition among high end smart phones, how much of a coupe would it be for Apple to go OLED? I could almost see them taking a hit on their margins to have something to point to when the Pre comes out.
Almost.
This doesn't change my opinion about OLED being still way too expensive for a larger device, however. Maybe next year.
This, apparently, and priced in iPod Touch territory.
Normally, I would expect Apple to drag their heal on incorporating the new hotness while more and more of their competitors dive in, but the power savings are significant and Apple is clearly very concerned with batter life. So who knows, maybe the Sony is an indication that the next iPhone/Touch will go OLED.
Unless the Sony is a Japanese only proof of concept sort of thing that they're selling at cost, for bragging rights, which wouldn't be out of character for Sony.
Thanks, but that isn't even out yet and while it has the same price tag as the iPod Touch in pre-production, I've too often seen companies like Sony uses lower prices to spark interest or just be completely off in their costs. I would think that if OLED in that size was viable that others would have jumped the gun with products already.
According to iSuppli (which I hate referring to) the price of the iPhone 3G's display is $20.
Thanks, but that isn't even out yet and while it has the same price tag as the iPod Touch in pre-production, I've too often seen companies like Sony uses lower prices to spark interest or just be completely off in their costs. I would think that if OLED in that size was viable that others would have jumped the gun with products already.
According to iSuppli (which I hate referring to) the price of the iPhone 3G's display is $20.
Right, which is why I think even a 3.5" OLED screen, at this point and even allowing for some kind of Apple massive discount buy, would require Apple to take a hit to their margins.
Again, it would be a great product differentiator if they got there first, and I would love it and all, but it seems pretty unlikely. I think Apple is confident that their software is differentiator enough.
Also, a giant 3.5" OLED buy from a major manufacture would probably show up on the supply chain watch sites, which it obviously hasn't.
Right, which is why I think even a 3.5" OLED screen, at this point and even allowing for some kind of Apple massive discount buy, would require Apple to take a hit to their margins.
Again, it would be a great product differentiator if they got there first, and I would love it and all, but it seems pretty unlikely. I think Apple is confident that their software is differentiator enough.
Also, a giant 3.5" OLED buy from a major manufacture would probably show up on the supply chain watch sites, which it obviously hasn't.
I'd love it and pay extra for it, but I am thinking that it is price prohibitive so I am saying that it will LED backlit LCD with double the resolution (50% more in each axis).
Does anyone know the power saving differences between LCD and OLED for those sizes? I can imagine it pretty severe on a large scale but if it's only a few minutes extra on the small scale it may be price prohibitive. I guess we'll see in 2 months.
It's obvious it won't be OLED, unless Apple wanted to go crazy and come in at $1,699. They won't though, it won't be OLED. It will be LCD, and it will start at around $1099. For now, as the only option will be SSD, this will kill any chances of any $700-$900 dreams for a while. If I had to bet I'd say it's be available in one configuration at the beginning - 128GB SSD only.
I'd love it and pay extra for it, but I am thinking that it is price prohibitive so I am saying that it will LED backlit LCD with double the resolution (50% more in each axis).
Does anyone know the power saving differences between LCD and OLED for those sizes? I can imagine it pretty severe on a large scale but if it's only a few minutes extra on the small scale it may be price prohibitive. I guess we'll see in 2 months.
That's a good question. The touch screen has to be one of the big power users on the iPhone; if OLED power saving were significant it could tip the cost/benefit scales.
However, I can't find any hard info, beyond the ritual invocation of "OLED's are more power efficient." I would have thought that if they seriously improved on battery life there would be some numbers associated with that, but I haven't seen any.
Also, and going against the grain of what we've been told, I saw one article talking about how larger OLED screens are still battling a problem with using much more power, as discussed here.
It's obvious it won't be OLED, unless Apple wanted to go crazy and come in at $1,699. They won't though, it won't be OLED. It will be LCD, and it will start at around $1099. For now, as the only option will be SSD, this will kill any chances of any $700-$900 dreams for a while. If I had to bet I'd say it's be available in one configuration at the beginning - 128GB SSD only.
That is the basis for my argument. It is not obvious it won't be OLED. I'm using the net to research the current up to the minute state of OLED technology. And currently there already exists methods of manufacture and material choices that would make flexible OLED displays very cheap in comparison to 1st gen OLED manufacturing and regular LCD manufacturing for that matter.
I think it is ready to debut to the mass public if Apple makes a push for it. But if it doesn't happen this year then it will be VERY soon. I'm just afraid with the tremendous pressure Apple is placing on the competition (the entire consumer tech sector) that Apple's competition will come out with a flexible product before Apple does.
Perhaps, just perhaps the product will be a slate but will also use an OLED screen.....albeit not of the flexible kind.
I'm telling you, if Apple comes out with a thin, very nice tablet (which I'm sure will sell) but uses regular LCD tech they are going to make themselves vulnerable to attack from another company that wants to make a splash on the market.
Look at Palm for instance.
Their backs are against the wall so they are pulling out all the stops on their next gen mobile OS and handset. It is basically a better iphone type of interface but uses full on hardcore multi-tasking. No "push" crap in site.
Alright, I admit that is not much of an example. But I'm just trying to impress upon you all the tremendous pressure Apple is placing on the market to either innovate or die. And if Apple even for one moment under estimates the competition or over estimate themselves then they are going to find themselves in trouble!
Comments
I stayed up way too late last night writing about this idea in post on my blog:
http://uncarved.prometheas.com/2009/...onjecture.html
Lemme know what y'all think!
Yes, we're getting there - again.
But the Newton had all those features 15 years ago! Fifteen years!
On an iPhone, can you open any app and then 'email' that page to someone?
You can with some applications, but not generally. On the Newton you could email or fax any page from any application.
On an iPhone can you have any text read to you aloud (or via headphones)?
I'm so surprised about the hoopla the Kindle 2 caused about reading out eBooks.
The Newton could do that 15 years ago! Any eBook, email, web page, literally any text you had could be turned into an AudioBook instantly. That was standard (if you downloaded the free Macintalk app).
Can the iPhone do that?
No. Not even 15 years later.
Interestingly, for this discussion, a new post at AI today is talking about the appearance of data detectors in the iPhone 3.0 OS.
More generally, I think this is the kind of thing that points to a competitive advantage for the iPhone-- the fact that it is, by and large, OS X, and that technologies developed for the desktop can be deployed on the handset.
IMO it makes it much more likely that the iPhone will evolve into "the new Newton" (plus, of course, all the advantages that the intervening years have brought, like high resolution color touch screen, ubiquitous connectivity, cloud functionality, etc.) than rival phones that are working solely in the domain of "phone" operating systems.
As you say, the Newton's cross-application integration puts the Pre's "synergy" to shame, and who better to recapture that kind of experience than Apple?
I've been enjoying looking through these mockups and the ideas in this thread about this rumored netbook / tablet device... I have this feeling this thing is going to be a hybrid that's part touch-based tablet when on the go, and part tiny iMac at home (or the coffee shop).
I stayed up way too late last night writing about this idea in post on my blog:
http://uncarved.prometheas.com/2009/...onjecture.html
Lemme know what y'all think!
I blew off work today (I'm in New York) because of the weather being almost 70 degrees F.
Booyaa!
Going to go enjoy a short for a run around the neighborhood now (3 miler oughta do it). And when I get back I will read your blog and post some more theories.
Peace.
I've been enjoying looking through these mockups and the ideas in this thread about this rumored netbook / tablet device... I have this feeling this thing is going to be a hybrid that's part touch-based tablet when on the go, and part tiny iMac at home (or the coffee shop).
I stayed up way too late last night writing about this idea in post on my blog:
http://uncarved.prometheas.com/2009/...onjecture.html
Lemme know what y'all think!
I've read through your post and your right. Tthe slate idea is a popular theory on what shape this device is going to take. The problem with it though is that it eliminates the pocketability (made up word) of said device. That is why I'm hoping that Steve is motivated to debut a cutting edge mobile device with flexible screen technology. As you see in the Kyocera prototype above, such a device would totally blur the lines between "notebook" computers and cell phones.
But alas, perhaps such a device is beyond the vision of even Steve Jobs. Perhaps Apple will not be the company that ushers in what would be a new era for computers. A "slate" or "tablet" might really be the thing we see from Apple in the coming months. I for one hope it at least resembles the prototype below:
Although, I would rather it did not have a stylus and uses multi-touch....of course. I think this design here would totally own and would rule especially in the education sector. Go to the link if you want to get some background on the prototype and see some giant resolution versions of those pics.
http://www.thegreenergrass.org/2008/04/papyrus.html
Also, I don't think you have to be too despairing of Apple's lack of vision if they fail to produce a product using display technology that doesn't appear ready for mainstream products, anywhere.
The Kyocera isn't a "prototype", it's a "concept." Most concepts never make it to the prototyping stage, and most prototypes never make it to the shipping product stage.
A flexible display would certainly be very cool, but wildly out of character for the current Apple, which prefers to work with reasonably well established tech put together in new ways.
Also, I don't think you have to be too despairing of Apple's lack of vision if they fail to produce a product using display technology that doesn't appear ready for mainstream products, anywhere.
The Kyocera isn't a "prototype", it's a "concept." Most concepts never make it to the prototyping stage, and most prototypes never make it to the shipping product stage.
Then I hope it is at least similar to the "papyrus" slate prototype pictured above in my last post.
Then I hope it is at least similar to the "papyrus" slate prototype pictured above in my last post.
I can't quite tell what that is. They're making a pretty unbelievable claim about the target selling price ($100 for a huge color e-ink touch display?), which makes me think this is purely in the realm of blue sky doodling.
Even at that, they're talking about a very limited feature set, more of super-Kindle than a pared down tablet.
What part of this were you hoping Apple would replicate?
I can't quite tell what that is. They're making a pretty unbelievable claim about the target selling price ($100 for a huge color e-ink touch display?), which makes me think this is purely in the realm of blue sky doodling.
Even at that, they're talking about a very limited feature set, more of super-Kindle than a pared down tablet.
What part of this were you hoping Apple would replicate?
The general dimensions for one (8+1/2 by 11). Also, I would assume the iDevice will have built in 1st party apps just like the the iphone/ipod touch. And I would hope that they are very powerful and interactive roughly along the lines of what the pictures above are suggesting. I didn't care about the exact specs from that papyrus concept really. I just liked the picture. I'm trying to communicate general ideas here.
And whether or not the display on this device turns out to be flexible it would really need to be some variant of an OLED to take advantage of power savings and also device thickness (in other words as thin as possible).
All you tech blog surfers should have seen this brand new Kyocera prototype by now. This is a closer example of what I think the "tablet" should be like if Apple uses flexible OLED technology.
This is very close to what I've imagined at times. Usually a single fold instead of a try fold design.
Note: there are different types of flexible OLED technology that have been in existence for a couple years now that already addresses issues such as low cost, and extended life span. An apple prototype that can be approved by Steve Jobs for mass production CAN be done NOW not years from now.
Yes this is very important for people to understand the screen tech is there. I actually see the other mechanical parts as a bigger issue.
Also people simply can't use the price of a TV with an OLED screen as an indicator of the cost of the screen tech. An OLED can be very cost effective and in the right product a huge advantage.
It is a race against time to see which tech company will come out with such a device first. And they all don't want it to be Apple because they know Apple will patent the hell out of it and it will be game over for them....again.
Well there is a limit to what Apple can patent. What they can do is go with an exclusive contract with suppliers. Just like Apples 40% presence in the Flash mark gives them huge pricing advantages. The problem for the competition, if Apple gets everthing right on the device, is that they end up with huge market share immediately where as the competition has to work for it.
Dave
A flexible display would certainly be very cool, but wildly out of character for the current Apple, which prefers to work with reasonably well established tech put together in new ways.
That is not the Apple I know about as it continues to innovate with new tech across it's product line. Going to an OLED screen is less of a jump than when the iMac first went to a LCD screen.
Also, I don't think you have to be too despairing of Apple's lack of vision if they fail to produce a product using display technology that doesn't appear ready for mainstream products, anywhere.
I keep hearing this yet OLED screens are already shipping in real products. Maybe a cell phone isn't mainstream enough for you.
The Kyocera isn't a "prototype", it's a "concept." Most concepts never make it to the prototyping stage, and most prototypes never make it to the shipping product stage.
There are a huge number of companies that are involved in OLED technology, there is a "right" tech out there for all of Apples IPod products. Yes this stuff is transition from prototyping to production but all products have to do that sooner or later. How quickly Apple will adopt the tech for anyone product depends upon what features they can leverage positively. The low power nature and thinnest of OLED make them very attractive to manufactures of handheld devices. Even if this big device doesn't go OLED I can see Apple adopting such on other devices in the iPod line up.
I keep hearing this yet OLED screens are already shipping in real products. Maybe a cell phone isn't mainstream enough for you.
Apple's simple lineup paired with it's premium setup does afford it the opportunity to get newer tech at lower prices, and the low power and thinness are things Apple would obviously be into, but I have seen no other phone or PMP with this option so I can't help but think that it may be cost prohibitive at this time. What products have OLED screens around 3.5" on the diagonal? Any idea how much this display would cost?
I think when people get too fired up about cutting edge tech and startling, game changing form factors, they're just setting themselves up for disappointment.
I think it far more likely that, should Apple bring out some kind of touch screen tablet/slate thing, that it will use conventional LCD tech. It will be very thin, quite elegant, have a sealed battery, sure, but OLED? Flexible displays? Some kind of folding-fu? No.
Even at, say, around 8", OLED is just cost prohibitive, Apple's purchasing power notwithstanding.
Kodak has a 7.6" OLED wireless picture frame/display, which is little more than the display itself, a bit of memory and a WiFi chipset, and they priced it at $1000. And that's before you have to add touch tech, and, you know, a computer.
How enthusiastic is everyone going to be is Apple's "netbook killer" costs $2000?
So I'm going to be pleasantly surprised if Apple makes a nice, smallish touch tablet thing that comes in somewhere in the vicinity of $1000, rather than bummed that it isn't a magic thing from the future.
Apple's simple lineup paired with it's premium setup does afford it the opportunity to get newer tech at lower prices, and the low power and thinness are things Apple would obviously be into, but I have seen no other phone or PMP with this option so I can't help but think that it may be cost prohibitive at this time. What products have OLED screens around 3.5" on the diagonal? Any idea how much this display would cost?
This, apparently, and priced in iPod Touch territory.
Normally, I would expect Apple to drag their heal on incorporating the new hotness while more and more of their competitors dive in, but the power savings are significant and Apple is clearly very concerned with batter life. So who knows, maybe the Sony is an indication that the next iPhone/Touch will go OLED.
Unless the Sony is a Japanese only proof of concept sort of thing that they're selling at cost, for bragging rights, which wouldn't be out of character for Sony.
Still, in this time of increased competition among high end smart phones, how much of a coupe would it be for Apple to go OLED? I could almost see them taking a hit on their margins to have something to point to when the Pre comes out.
Almost.
This doesn't change my opinion about OLED being still way too expensive for a larger device, however. Maybe next year.
This, apparently, and priced in iPod Touch territory.
Normally, I would expect Apple to drag their heal on incorporating the new hotness while more and more of their competitors dive in, but the power savings are significant and Apple is clearly very concerned with batter life. So who knows, maybe the Sony is an indication that the next iPhone/Touch will go OLED.
Unless the Sony is a Japanese only proof of concept sort of thing that they're selling at cost, for bragging rights, which wouldn't be out of character for Sony.
Thanks, but that isn't even out yet and while it has the same price tag as the iPod Touch in pre-production, I've too often seen companies like Sony uses lower prices to spark interest or just be completely off in their costs. I would think that if OLED in that size was viable that others would have jumped the gun with products already.
According to iSuppli (which I hate referring to) the price of the iPhone 3G's display is $20.
Thanks, but that isn't even out yet and while it has the same price tag as the iPod Touch in pre-production, I've too often seen companies like Sony uses lower prices to spark interest or just be completely off in their costs. I would think that if OLED in that size was viable that others would have jumped the gun with products already.
According to iSuppli (which I hate referring to) the price of the iPhone 3G's display is $20.
Right, which is why I think even a 3.5" OLED screen, at this point and even allowing for some kind of Apple massive discount buy, would require Apple to take a hit to their margins.
Again, it would be a great product differentiator if they got there first, and I would love it and all, but it seems pretty unlikely. I think Apple is confident that their software is differentiator enough.
Also, a giant 3.5" OLED buy from a major manufacture would probably show up on the supply chain watch sites, which it obviously hasn't.
Right, which is why I think even a 3.5" OLED screen, at this point and even allowing for some kind of Apple massive discount buy, would require Apple to take a hit to their margins.
Again, it would be a great product differentiator if they got there first, and I would love it and all, but it seems pretty unlikely. I think Apple is confident that their software is differentiator enough.
Also, a giant 3.5" OLED buy from a major manufacture would probably show up on the supply chain watch sites, which it obviously hasn't.
I'd love it and pay extra for it, but I am thinking that it is price prohibitive so I am saying that it will LED backlit LCD with double the resolution (50% more in each axis).
Does anyone know the power saving differences between LCD and OLED for those sizes? I can imagine it pretty severe on a large scale but if it's only a few minutes extra on the small scale it may be price prohibitive. I guess we'll see in 2 months.
I'd love it and pay extra for it, but I am thinking that it is price prohibitive so I am saying that it will LED backlit LCD with double the resolution (50% more in each axis).
Does anyone know the power saving differences between LCD and OLED for those sizes? I can imagine it pretty severe on a large scale but if it's only a few minutes extra on the small scale it may be price prohibitive. I guess we'll see in 2 months.
That's a good question. The touch screen has to be one of the big power users on the iPhone; if OLED power saving were significant it could tip the cost/benefit scales.
However, I can't find any hard info, beyond the ritual invocation of "OLED's are more power efficient." I would have thought that if they seriously improved on battery life there would be some numbers associated with that, but I haven't seen any.
Also, and going against the grain of what we've been told, I saw one article talking about how larger OLED screens are still battling a problem with using much more power, as discussed here.
Anyone know what that's about?
It's obvious it won't be OLED, unless Apple wanted to go crazy and come in at $1,699. They won't though, it won't be OLED. It will be LCD, and it will start at around $1099. For now, as the only option will be SSD, this will kill any chances of any $700-$900 dreams for a while. If I had to bet I'd say it's be available in one configuration at the beginning - 128GB SSD only.
That is the basis for my argument. It is not obvious it won't be OLED. I'm using the net to research the current up to the minute state of OLED technology. And currently there already exists methods of manufacture and material choices that would make flexible OLED displays very cheap in comparison to 1st gen OLED manufacturing and regular LCD manufacturing for that matter.
I think it is ready to debut to the mass public if Apple makes a push for it. But if it doesn't happen this year then it will be VERY soon. I'm just afraid with the tremendous pressure Apple is placing on the competition (the entire consumer tech sector) that Apple's competition will come out with a flexible product before Apple does.
Perhaps, just perhaps the product will be a slate but will also use an OLED screen.....albeit not of the flexible kind.
I'm telling you, if Apple comes out with a thin, very nice tablet (which I'm sure will sell) but uses regular LCD tech they are going to make themselves vulnerable to attack from another company that wants to make a splash on the market.
Look at Palm for instance.
Their backs are against the wall so they are pulling out all the stops on their next gen mobile OS and handset. It is basically a better iphone type of interface but uses full on hardcore multi-tasking. No "push" crap in site.
Alright, I admit that is not much of an example. But I'm just trying to impress upon you all the tremendous pressure Apple is placing on the market to either innovate or die. And if Apple even for one moment under estimates the competition or over estimate themselves then they are going to find themselves in trouble!