The second generation iPad, iPad 2, will be released in the first quarter of 2011. The updated display is rumored to run at Retina resolution, but it will not feature OLED display technology. Samsung Mobile Display, which currently holds 98 percent of the OLED market simply, can’t deliver the number of panels Apple requires.
OLED displays are something of a scarcity in the mobile world these days. Current supply simply can’t cope with the growing demand. As we first saw with the HTC Droid Incredible, sometimes manufacturers are forced to change their product based upon manufacturing levels. The Apple iPad 2 will be another device that must use a traditional LCD display and instead rely on IPS technology combined with a Retina display.
According to oled-display.net, Samsung Mobile Display boosted production with a new 5.5 gen plant this year. With their current infrastructure, the company is only able to mass produce the 4.2 inch AMOLED or Super AMOLED panels – the panels being used in the Galaxy S, Nexus S and some Nokia and HTC smartphones. With the growing demand for these devices, a 9.7 inch OLED display would not be possible for mass production.
Back at FPD-International, Samsung Mobile Display showcased a seven inch AMOLED display for a tablet. We all know where Steve Jobs stands on the idea of a seven inch tablet, but even if Apple decided to opt for the smaller size, that was only a prototype which Samsung said would be not be ready until Q3 2011.
There have been reports of Samsung and LG planning to invest 17 billion in AM-OLED through 2015, but until that investment turns into new operating factories, the market demand will continue to outpace supply. With that being said, the current generation iPad has a killer display and the LCD panel still offers many benefits over OLED displays – the most notable is direct sunlight visibility.
With the news that the iPad 2 will not feature an OLED display, how does this affect your view on the next-generation iPad 2? Is this a deal breaker or are you currently happy with Apple’s display and will the higher resolution, Retina display, be more than enough to win you over?
via OLED-Displays | Coming Soon
