Despite not knowing what the next iPad could be named, and whether or not we’ll see a pro-version (like iPad 2+) or a completely new iPad (iPad 3), it appears that Apple is wrestling with the idea of including a Retina display in the next iPad. The display would weight in at 2048×1536 pixels, and still have a 4:3 aspect ratio according to The Korea Times.
The Korea Times is also reporting that Apple is currently testing displays from two companies, LG and Samsung, the latter of which is in a pretty heated lawsuit with Apple over patent disputes. Also being reported is that Apple may have no interest in Samsung’s OLED technology. Of course, representatives from both Apple and Samsung refused comment on the issue to The Korea Times.
It may not be worth it
Being able to say that a tablet now has a “Retina display” is obviously beneficial from a marketing perspective — anyone can see the advantages there — but what about real advantages in display resolution and hardware performance? According to the experts over at DisplayMate, a Retina display in the next iPad could also bring with it some complications:
An iPad Retina Display – to make the iPad 3 a Retina Display does not require the same pixels per inch (ppi) as the iPhone 4 Retina Display because it is typically held much further away from the eye, whose visual sharpness is based on angular rather than linear resolution. The iPad is typically held 15-18 inches away as opposed to the iPhone 4’s 12-15 inches. As a result, to meet the 300 ppi Retina Display specification made by Steve Jobs at WWDC for the iPhone 4, an iPad Retina Display would need only 240 ppi. So an iPad Retina Display could start anywhere above 1862×1397 pixels. That is still a major overkill that carries a significant performance and cost penalty – so it would be primarily a marketing ploy. See below for our recommendation.
We’re not engineers, or display experts, but we can certianly see the logic in DisplayMate’s recommendations. The obvious question is whether or not the next iPad will get a significant enough bump in power to offset the energy consumption needed by a Retina display in the next iPad. There’s no way Apple would be willing to sacrifice the iPad’s surperb battery life for some extra pixels.
Source: The Korea Times
Via: The Next Web
Image Credit: Yutaka Tsutano
