IGZO

The iPad 5 might jettison grams and millimeters via a redesigned LED backlight apparatus, according to NPD DisplaySearch.

"It's likely that part of the thinner/lighter design will be reducing the size of the LED backlight, partly by making the display more efficient and partly by using more efficient LEDs," said Paul Semenza, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, in an e-mail to CNET.

He said he also expects other modifications to reduce thickness. "The other significant change that we feel is likely is a shift to a film-based touch sensor," Semenza said.

It's still … Read more

LAS VEGAS -- At CES today, a Sharp engineer talked to CNET about the merits of LCDs that use IGZO technology.

IGZO displays first came to consumers' attention when it was rumored that Apple was going to tap Sharp's IGZO tech for the third-generation iPad.

While that didn't happen (at that time, Sharp apparently had not gotten IGZO to the point where it could be mass produced for a commercial 10-inch class tablet like Apple's), Sharp is now offering IGZO on commercial smartphones and tablets in Japan.

And the company is showing off 32-inch 4K-resolution low-power IGZO … Read more

Qualcomm today announced that it has expanded an agreement between a subsidiary and Sharp and taken an equity stake in the ailing electronics maker.

Sharp and Qualcomm subsidiary Pixtronix already have a display technology agreement between them, according to Qualcomm. This new deal extends that partnership. The agreement centers on displays using Sharp's IGZO technology, which is widely considered one of the best options for visual quality in the industry.

As part of the agreement, Qualcomm has dropped some cash in Sharp, earning it a minority stake in the company.

Sharp saw its sales drop 16 percent year-over-year to … Read more

Sharp will begin sales of an ultrathin IGZO 4K LED display from early next year.

The Japanese display maker said Wednesday that it will launch sales of a Full HD 3,840x2,160 resolution 32-inch LED-backlit display starting on February 15, 2013.

Including the chassis, the model PN-K321 display is 35mm thick and compatible with DisplayPort and HDMI connectors.

Probably its most salient feature is the use of IGZO technology -- something Apple has had its eye on for the iPad because IGZO can yield very-high-resolution yet thin displays.

Sharp has a production target of 1,500 units a month. … Read more

Qualcomm and Intel are in discussions with Sharp to invest more than $375 million, according to two reports.

Japan's Kyodo News reported today that Intel is in talks to invest between 30 billion and 40 billion yen (approximately $378 million to $500 million) in Sharp.

But a more recent report today from Reuters said the two companies may make a joint investment of about $378 million.

However, the Reuters report goes to describe the Intel investment as less certain than Qualcomm's commitment. The latter may reach an agreement with Sharp as early as the end of this month. … Read more

Apple could be aiming to refresh the third-generation iPad to reduce weight and make other improvements, CNET has learned.

The updated 9.7-inch Retina iPad would address issues with the first-generation Retina product. That includes making it lighter and improving the LED backlight apparatus, according to market research firm NPD DisplaySearch.

"We are seeing [Apple] work with panel makers to come out with a display that enables a thinner overall [product] with longer battery life," said Richard Shim, an analyst at DisplaySearch.

"Of course the supply chain is dynamic, but we're seeing some early indications that … Read more

Asia-based sources won't quit with speculation about a "revised" model that will fix some of the shortcomings of the third-generation iPad.

Here's the problem: the third-generation iPad's 2,048x1,536 Retina display requires twice as many backlights as the iPad 2, which potentially makes it run hotter and necessitates a bigger battery to achieve roughly the same battery life as the iPad 2.

That bulked up backlight assembly also contributes to a slightly thicker, heavier design than the iPad 2.

Raymond Soneira, the founder, president, and CEO of DisplayMate Technologies, explained the challenges that Apple … Read more

Apple has plans for the so-called iPad Mini and it may be only a matter of getting production up and running, according to NPD DisplaySearch.

"For the 7.85-inch panel, there's a business plan for it, there's a mass production target for it. And we know that it's for Apple," Richard Shim, an NPD DisplaySearch analyst, told CNET.

"I don't know the name of the product, but I know it's going to be a tablet," he said.

NPD DisplaySearch talks to companies in the "supply chain" -- firms that … Read more

Foxconn aims to use its investment in Sharp to land orders for Apple's upcoming large-screen TV -- so the ongoing speculation goes.

The latest guesswork comes from Asia Ho Chao-yang, former president of Chimei Innolux, Taiwan's largest LCD maker, and current chairman of Chi Mei Materials Technology, who concludes that Foxconn Electronics' investment in Sharp is a play to "secure iTV orders from Apple," according to Taipei-based DigiTimes.

Ho added that the launch of an iTV would benefit polarizer makers, of which Chi Mei Materials is one.

This is by no means the first time that … Read more