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Retina Display-equipped iPad 3 looking more and more likely for early 2012
Well, the Wall Street Journal's headline certainly isn't going to surprise you -- Apple Developing New iPad -- that has been a safe assumption since the iPad 2 was announced. Rumors are circulating though (some, for quite a while) that are painting an increasingly convincing picture of a Retina Display-equipped slate shipping in early 2012. Reports are in that suppliers have already received Q4 orders for parts that may eventually find their way into Apple's next tablet. Can we say for certain that the iPad 3 will hit shelves in Q1 of next year sporting a 2048 x 1536 screen? No, but it's starting to look more and more likely.
Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal
Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com. The quality of a mobile phone's display is arguably the most important factor to consider when you establish a relationship with a handset. It's inescapable, really. Whether you're playing a rousing game of Robot Unicorn Attack or (regrettably) drunk-dialing an ex, it's the one interface element that you're consistently interacting with. It's your window to the world and your canvas for creation, and if it's lousy, it's going to negatively influence everything you see and do. Today, we're delving into the world of mobile displays, where we're aiming to entertain and edify, and hopefully save you from making regrettable decisions -- when it comes to purchasing new phones, anyway. In this edition of Primed, we'll be examining the different qualities and underlying technologies of several displays, starting with the ubiquitous TFT-LCD and moving through the nascent realm of glasses-free 3D and beyond. We'll also be addressing the importance of resolution and pixel density. Finally, we'll be scoping out a handful of upcoming technologies -- while some are thoroughly intriguing, others are just plain wacky. Go ahead... buy the ticket, take the ride, and join us after the break. It's Primed time.
Wall Street Journal suggests higher-resolution iPad next year
Apple is prepping its Asian suppliers to begin production of the next generation iPad in October, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Cupertino company has placed orders for about 1.5 million iPad 3 tablets. Apple is targeting a launch in early 2012 which fits in perfectly with the company's current yearly upgrade schedule. Apple is reportedly ordering 9.7-inch displays with a resolution of 2048 x 1536, increasing the 1024 x 768 resolution of the current iPad and iPad 2 display. Foxconn is the assembler of the iPad and has not commented on its future plans. Apple's Beijing spokeswoman Carolyn Wu also declined to comment.
Gmail for Mobile gets a facelift, now ready for its Retina Display close-up
Gmail for mobile was looking a little tired around the eyes, so Google went ahead and gave the ol' web app a cosmetic lift. The update, announced on the Gmail blog, packs a hat trick's worth of tweaks aimed squarely at iOS and QNX (read: BB PlayBook) users. Email messages can now be manually refreshed with a top-down pull and release -- a feature similar to Twitter's own drag-down approach. The team also added a bit of finesse to inbox navigation with new sliding transitions, and even beefed up the graphical interface, taking full advantage of that Retina Display. Curious to see these tune-ups in action? Then head to the source for your own hands-on.
Mysterious Samsung shows up in dev center sporting Gingerbread and 1280 x 768 screen
Hello, and welcome to another edition of Mystery Cellphone Theater. This week's enigma comes to us courtesy of T Store, a Korean app market, where the Developer Center lists an unannounced Samsung device with the model number SHV-E120S. Now, we can't tell you much about the E120S, only that it reports to sport a WXGA screen (that's 1280 x 768), Gingerbread, and a single-core MSM8250 Snapdragon. Sammy has a Korea-only handset with the SHV-E110S tag and a more standard 800 x 480 screen, and the company has made no secret about its desire to push pixel density well beyond the 300ppi mark -- still, there's no guarantee this is in fact a phone. It very well may be a tablet, or just a strange report from an emulator. Regardless, we're intrigued, and keeping our fingers crossed for 4.3-inch HD display.
Rumor: Apple close to ordering a 2048 x 1536 resolution iPad 3 display
A rumor from The Korea Times suggests Apple may be close to signing a deal with Samsung and LG for a high-resolution tablet display. The new display will include a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels, 4:3 aspect ratio and a retina-like pixel density of 280 PPI. This isn't the first time this rumor has hit the wires. Back in January, rumblings of a high-resolution iPad began to surface. These rumors were fueled with the announcement of a 10.1-inch, 2560 x 1600 resolution display from Samsung which will arrive later this year. Even if this 10.1-inch display is not compatible with 9.7-inch form factor of the iPad, it does confirm Samsung has the technology to produce a retina-like tablet display and could likely produce one in a 9.7-inch size. Then in June, the folks at TechUnwrapped uncovered code within the beta release of iOS 5 which supports images of 1536 x 2048 pixels. With all these rumors floating around, it seems very likely that Apple is working on a high-resolution version of the iPad. As long as suppliers can keep up with demand, a high-resolution display would be a logical upgrade for the next generation iPad. The iPad 2 got a nice processor boost and dual cameras, but the display remained the same. Consumer-wise, a high-resolution display would entice new customers to adopt Apple's popular tablet and prompt many original iPad owners to upgrade to the iPad 3. [Via 9to5 Mac]
iOS 5 for iPad images suggest higher-resolution display
Although the displays on the iPad and iPad 2 are pretty darned nice, TUAW readers and bloggers alike have wished for a Retina Display-like screen on our magic tablets. Now a tipster at TechUnwrapped has pointed out that several images found in Newsstand -- an iOS 5 feature -- and the Twitter framework are suggesting a possible higher-resolution display for an upcoming iPad 3. The screen resolution on existing iPads is 768 x 1024 pixels, and in previous versions of the iOS, SDK screen backgrounds and other images were sized accordingly. The tipster has found evidence of images at twice the size -- 1536 x 2048 pixels -- suggesting that the next generation of iPad might include a display with that resolution. What do you think, TUAW readers? Will the iPad 3 come with double the resolution? Let us know in the comments. [via Ars Technica]
Opera Mini lands on the iPad in version 6.0
Been loving the Opera Mini experience on your iPhone and wishing for it on your larger iOS device? Opera is today turning that desire into reality with the release of v6.0 of its Mini mobile browser, which now has support for all iOS portables, including the iPad and iPad 2, plus a specific shoutout for the iPhone 4's retina display. The overall design of the web explorer has also been freshened up, with a "new look and feel," while a social sharing function will let you blast URLs into Twitter and Facebook directly from the app. Additionally, the new version includes the ability to load tabs in the background and improves support for non-Latin alphabets like Arabic and Chinese. Hit the source link for the download. [Thanks, Chris]
Toshiba declares victory in pixel density war: 367ppi coming to a phone this year (video)
We got the lowdown on Toshiba's latest four-inch LCD a couple of days ago, and today at SID 2011 we got up close and personal with the pixel-packed display. It's one thing to read about a 367ppi screen that shows native 720p video, and it's quite another to experience it in person. We can report that it is, in fact, as awesome as it sounds -- onscreen images were clear, crisp, and chromatically brilliant. Pixel density enthusiasts will also be happy to hear that Toshiba confirmed the display will make it to market this year. Of course, the rep wouldn't tell us which phone will take the iPhone 4's crown as the ppi champ, though we imagine it'll be something powered by little green bots. See the new king in action in the video after the break. %Gallery-123856%
Toshiba enters pixel density fray with 367ppi LCDs for cellphones
Toshiba just fired its own salvo in the pixel density wars at SID 2011. The company is showing off a range of LCDs for cellphones that top out at an almost imperceptibly fine 367ppi on its 4-inch HD (720 x 1280) model. Beyond just cramming more red, green, and blue dots in each inch, these panels also top the bar-setting Retina Display in the contrast department with an impressive 1,500:1 ratio. The company also brought a smaller 3.3-inch screen with a resolution of 480 x 864 to Display Week that hits a respectable 300ppi. They're not quite as impressive as these HAST LCDs, but who really needs to put 1080p in their pocket? (Want is a different story.) Of course, Engadget is on the scene and, if you're lucky, we'll let you live vicariously through us as we tour Toshiba's booth -- you know, as a reward for your loyal readership.
Nokia X7 and E6 hop an early flight to Germany for pre-order delights
If Nokia's X7 entertainment handset overwhelms you with a fluttery sensation, then you may consider grabbing one on pre-order, where it retails in Germany and Portugal for €459 and €489 respectively. Meanwhile, if the X7's 4-inch, 640 x 360 display has you begging for greater pixel density, then also up for reservation in Deutschland is Nokia's E6 QWERTY phone, featuring a 2.46-inch, 326ppi screen that goes toe-to-toe with Apple's Retina Display. While the display size isn't stellar, it's one way to measure the cost of a physical keyboard -- the other method is €429. Either way, if you're hoping to ride Symbian's wave to the very end, these two handsets will go kilometers toward actualizing that dream. Update: Looks like pre-orders are also available in Italy. [Thanks, Simone] [Thanks, Jack]
Samsung and LG to showcase high pixel density LCD panels for tablets at SID 2011
It's a well-known fact that LG's already dominated the pixel density race in the smartphone market thanks to the Retina Display inside the iPhone 4, but we've yet to see similar technologies making their way to larger devices. That could change very soon, however, with Samsung and LG both announcing larger high-density panels to be showcased at SID 2011 next week. From Samsung we'll be seeing its 10.1-inch 300ppi prototype LCD panel, which rakes up an astonishing resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 under the battery-friendly PenTile RGBW matrix (not to be confused with AMOLED and Super AMOLED's RGBG arrangement). What's more, Samsung also teases "commercial availability" for this technology later this year. Things are a bit vague with LG -- no specific resolutions are mentioned in the pre-show announcement, but we're told that the company will introduce "a full line-up" of "ultra-high resolution" Advanced High Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS) products, including 3.5-, 4.5-, 7-, 9.7, 55-, and 84-inch panels, with a "greater number of pixels than the PPI that can be recognized by the human eye at a typical distance" -- a proclamation typically reserved for the iPhone 4's 326ppi Retina Display. Of course, LG could be misleading here -- the 9.7-inch panel brought up in the press release could just be the exact same 1,024 x 768 IPS display on the iPad, but we'd be surprised if LG doesn't have a similarly-sized prototype to fire back at Samsung's 10.1-inch 300ppi panel. Well, keep an eye out for our SID 2011 coverage next week and we'll let you know what goodies we find.
Samsung announces 2560 x 1600 display, could pave the way for iPad 3
Samsung will demonstrate an all-new 10.1-inch display at the SID Display Week 2011 International Symposium next week. Samsung's new display will have a 2560 x 1600 resolution, far in excess of anything on the tablet market today. At 300 dpi, the display also compares favorably with the Retina Display resolution of Apple's iPhone 4; meanwhile, Samsung claims the PenTile technology used in the display allows it to operate while drawing 40 percent less power. It's unlikely for a number of reasons that Apple will employ this exact display in the iPad 3. The 10.1-inch form factor exceeds the 9.7-inch size of the current iPad's design, and the display resolution is also in excess of the pixel-doubled resolution of the iPad's current 1024 x 768 display. The PenTile technology that's made its way into displays for smartphones like Google's Nexus One is also something Apple has shied away from thus far, preferring to stick with tech like in-plane switching (IPS) for its iPhones and iPads. That having been said, Samsung's new display does prove that high-res, tablet-sized displays are indeed possible without giving up power efficiency, which makes it all the more likely that we'll see a Retina Display quality touchscreen in the iPad 3. It's previously been rumored that Apple wanted to include such technology in the iPad 2, but was unable to do so because of high costs and manufacturing constraints. Although it's looking less likely that rumors of a fall introduction of the iPad 3 will pan out, Samsung's newest display does raise the chances of us seeing a vastly improved iPad display in 2012. There's no indication yet when this new display will find its way into Samsung's Galaxy tablets; the company just announced the new display and won't be demonstrating it until next week. However, if Samsung can find a way to mass-produce these displays and shoehorn them into the Galaxy Tab before Apple includes similar technology in the iPad, Samsung will finally have a major hardware advantage that it can hold over Apple's more popular tablet line.
Mac OS X Lion sporting 1024x1024 icons, 3200x2000 wallpapers; Retina display Macs coming?
MacMagazine.com.br has posted an interesting find. Apparently the latest build of Lion includes some icons which are sized at 1024x1024. That's twice the current 512x512 size of icons in Snow Leopard (four times the pixel count, but 2x larger in each dimension). Additionally, on April 2nd, Mac blog OSXDaily found some of the default wallpaper resolutions in Lion to be as large as 3200×2000 pixels. These wallpaper and icon size increases are interesting because, as far as the wallpaper resolution goes, Apple currently does not make a display that supports that high of a pixel density. Given the fact that Apple is bumping up its icon and wallpaper sizes, it could point to a future where Macs sport high-density Retina displays. Indeed, MacRumors points out that Apple has built in support for HiDPI display modes in Lion. "These HiDPI modes allow developers to supply 2x-enlarged images to support double-high resolution displays," according to MacRumors. "Like the iPhone 4's Retina Display, this means that user interface elements will remain the same size, but everything will be twice the resolution and, therefore, twice as detailed."
Digitimes: No iPad 3 this year
Remember back in February when the iPad 2 hadn't even launched yet, but there were already rumors of an iPad 3 set to hit the market this fall? Well, according to Digitimes, those rumors aren't likely to amount to anything this year. When iPad 3 rumors originally surfaced, the idea was thrown around that the iPad 2 may be a kind of transitional product, and the "real" iPad upgrade would appear in the fall as a kind of iPad 2.5 model. Now Digitimes' sources are stating that iPad component makers have "not yet received any notice for next generation iPad products and do not believe iPad 2 is a transitional product." Another big rumor for the iPad 3 was that it will sport a Retina Display. While it's likely it will, it's not likely an iPad with a Retina Display will appear this year. Sources told Digitimes that while Apple has been asking touchscreen panel makers to provide screens that can provide higher resolutions than the current iPad 2 screen, the project is still in the "initial planning stage" and thus unlikely to appear in 2011. In short, if you're holding off getting an iPad 2 because you expect Apple to launch an iPad 3 in the fall, don't hold your breath.
Rolando and Rolando 2 updated with Retina Display, on sale now
Ngmoco has surprised us with some updates. Rolando and its sequel Rolando 2 have both been updated for the iPhone 4's Retina Display and have had a few bug issues fixed. To celebrate the update, they're both on sale for just US$0.99. Either one of these is a bargain at that price. They're both very solid, original platformers, designed specifically for the iOS system. What's most interesting about this, though, is that Ngmoco has updated these at all. Rolando was one of the first big titles for the now gigantic iOS developer, but when Ngmoco moved into the We Rule freemium model, the Rolando series was more or less abandoned in favor of games that could use more microtransactions and attract more "DAUs" (daily active users). A lot of Rolando fans were disappointed with that direction, though Ngmoco's We Rule and other freemium games have seen plenty of success anyway. Rolando creator Simon Oliver's HandCircus has been working on a PSN game instead, but maybe with these updates, there's a possibility we could finally see Ngmoco return to the little rolling hero and his series.
Apple airs new 'Retina' iPhone 4 commercial
Apple has released another commercial in the "If you don't have an iPhone" series of ads. This commercial, titled "Retina," shows off the Retina Display on the iPhone 4. The ad cycles through the Photos, iPod (movies), Maps, and Mail apps. The latest ad comes just one day afterApple released an iPhone 4 ad showcasing Game Center. Apple seems to release iPhone ads in groups of twos or threes, so it's likely that another one may hit the airwaves soon.
Samsung sees a Retina Display in your tablet future, and perhaps glasses-free 3D
Samsung gazed into its crystal ball today, and what did it see? The pixel density of tablet screens drastically increasing. Yes, while Apple may not have managed to cram a screen into the iPad 2 worthy of the Retina moniker, it sounds like Samsung Semiconductor may be working on just such a thing, as the company projects that it will have tablet displays with 300 to 400 pixel-per-inch resolutions by 2015. Presently, the Samsung Galaxy Tab has a seven-inch, 1024 x 600 panel, which translates to only about 170ppi, but Samsung suggests that tablets of the exact same size might stretch well beyond 1080p desktop resolutions as pixel density increases, and yet still manage a respectable 8 to 10 hours of battery life. Samsung also said that while it's still waiting to see if consumers adopt stereoscopic 3D, it might be interested in joining the throng, perhaps bringing a glasses-free tablet display to market in the years to come. Curious what else the future might hold, according to Samsung? Take a peek at our gallery below. %Gallery-119627%
Analysis of iPad 2 display shows performance similar to iPhone 4
The iPhone 4's Retina Display rightly gets praise for its high pixel density. Since its release, many iPad owners have longed for Apple to bump up the display resolution from 1024 x 768 in order to provide a similar viewing experience on Apple's tablet. When viewing an iPad's display next to an iPhone 4's Retina Display, the iPad appears excessively pixelated, particularly in text-heavy apps like iBooks. Pixel density aside, recent analysis by Dr. Raymond M. Soneira of DisplayMate Technologies shows that the iPad 2's display stacks up well against the iPhone 4 in most other measures. According to Dr. Soneira, "the display on the iPad 2 delivers almost identical performance to the impressive iPhone 4 Retina Display," for the values he measured. Dr. Soneira compares the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPad 2, and he analyzes values such as brightness, contrast ratio, black levels, and viewing angles to give us an idea of how Apple's newest device stacks up. In most respects, the iPad 2's display does indeed perform similarly to the iPhone 4, and both devices have measurably superior display quality compared to the iPhone 3GS. Although the iPad 2 display's 132 ppi doesn't compare favorably to the iPhone 4's 326 ppi, Dr. Soneira calls the pixel density on the Retina Display "overkill" anyway. He believes some of the iPad 2 display's shortcomings could be addressed in software; Dr. Soneira says "anti-aliasing on the iPad 2 is far from state-of-the-art and degrades the perceived sharpness of text and graphics." Indeed, comparing the anti-aliasing on an iPad display versus a notebook display with a similar pixel density shows the iPad suffers from greater pixelation. Some iOS developers, such as Firemint and Chair Entertainment, have already taken advantage of the iPad 2's better graphical performance, and using techniques similar to the ones Dr. Soneira advocates, these developers have delivered superior-quality graphics in their apps even though the display resolution remains the same. With its limited RAM and less powerful A4 processor, it's possible the original iPad lacked the processing power necessary to support anti-aliasing similar to that accomplished on Mac displays, but the iPad 2 should be able to do so. Perhaps improved anti-aliasing for the iPad 2 is something we should add to our wish list for iOS 5. [via AppleInsider]
WSJ: iPad 2 in production, features FaceTime camera, faster processor
Oh look, what's this? The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the iPad 2 has entered production -- which exactly lines up previously rumored manufacturing schedules. According to the WSJ, the new edition of Apple's tablet will have a faster processor with a better GPU and more memory in a thinner, lighter package. There's also said to be a front-facing camera for video conferencing, but the much-discussed display resolution will remain "similar" to the current iPad -- which actually goes along with the most recent information we've gotten from our sources, who say that the next iPad will indeed stay at the current resolution, and that the higher-res display we'd heard about earlier may have actually been for a future model. As for availability, the WSJ says the new iPad will be on Verizon and AT&T, which certainly makes sense -- although it'll be interesting to see how Verizon handles positioning it against the upcoming Xoom, which Motorola is marketing in an aggressively anti-iPad manner. In any event, between the iPad 2, the Xoom, and whatever Palm has to offer tomorrow, this spring is about to get very, very interesting.
