auo

iPad Mini set to eclipse Retina iPad

The iPad Mini appears to be on its way to eclipsing the Retina iPad, according to NPD DisplaySearch.

Apple had originally expected to sell 6 million iPad Minis in 2012. But that's turning out to be a laughably low forecast, according to DisplaySearch analyst David Hsieh.

Now, Apple is asking display panel makers to "ship more than 12 million" iPad Mini displays in the fourth quarter, Hsieh said in a research note.

"The iPad Mini apparently is selling better" than the new iPad 4, Hsieh said in response to an e-mail query. "It seems … Read more

Reconciling the iPad Mini with Apple's Retina obsession

The iPad Mini is an exception to Apple's Retina obsession. Will that change?

David Hsieh, an analyst at DisplaySearch, tried to answer that question in a research note today, saying that Apple has become a victim of its own marketing success.

By creating a class of super-high-resolution Retina products -- including the iPad, iPod, iPhone, and MacBook Pro -- Apple has sparked an industry-wide scramble to match or exceed the resolution of its displays.

Apple created the term "Retina display" not just as a marketing phrase, but to educate end users about high resolution. Apple has been … Read more

iPad Mini Retina rumor arrives early

Just days after the iPad Mini landed at stores and doorsteps, we have a tantalizing rumor from the Asia supply chain about a future Retina version of the 7.9-inch tablet.

Chinese-language DoNews said in a story dated November 7 that iPad Mini display maker AUO is working on a 2,048x1,536 pixel resolution display for the next iPad Mini.

That would be the same resolution of the 9.7-inch Retina display on the third- and fourth-generation iPads. And would translate to a 300-plus pixel density (versus the iPad 4's 264 pixels per inch) because you're packing … Read more

iPad Mini could get whacked by supply issues, says analyst

The iPad mini has arrived -- with supply problems in tow.

"We're now starting to see the issues that [Apple] is having with Samsung," Richard Shim, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, told CNET in an interview.

Specifically, Samsung, a traditional Apple display vendor, is not supplying displays for the iPad mini, according to Shim. That leaves two suppliers, LGD and AUO.

"The problem is that AUO is a new supplier, and they're not able to get to the volumes that Apple needs. So, essentially, there's just one supplier," Shim said, who covered the … Read more

Apple Mini-iPad rumor cites Kindle Fire

Will Apple ignore Steve Jobs' decree that anything below 10 inches won't cut it as a tablet? The supply chain seems to be indicating it will.

Apple is "likely" to launch a 7.85-inch iPad before the fourth quarter of next year, according to a report in Taipei-based Digitimes.

Now, why would Apple go against Jobs' wishes? "In order to cope with increasing market competition [from]...the 7-inch Kindle Fire...and the launch of large-size smartphones," according to the report.

Displays will be provided by LG and AU Optronics (AUO), the report said, citing sources. … Read more

World's largest cinemascope 3D TV?

Size matters, especially for TV makers competing to come up with larger and thinner screens. Stealing the limelight at the China Optoelectronics Display Expo in Shenzhen is AU Optronics (AUO) and its new 71-inch display. The Taiwanese LCD panel maker is calling this mammoth the world's largest cinemascope 3D TV, featuring an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio.

According to Engadget, this 71-incher also utilizes passive 3D glasses to view 3D images, similarly to the LG Cinema 3D TVs, though it's unclear if they're based on the same technology. In a prior interview, an LG executive told us LG Display is currently the only Cinema 3D TV panel manufacturer in the world.

China-based TCL is expected to be the first brand to roll out a passive 3D TV using this AUO panel. The TV is due to be released in August, but there is no further information on availability and pricing beyond the Chinese market for now.

(Source: Crave Asia)… Read more