Screen

Teardown analysis finds Apple’s new 9.7″ iPad is a repackaged iPad Air with a few differences

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 30, 2017

Repair experts over at iFixit tore apart Apple's new iPad with a brighter 9.7-inch screen. What they discovered doesn't come as surprise: the canonical iPad is basically an original four-year-old iPad Air with a more repairable screen and some new jewelry in the form of Touch ID, Apple Pay, Apple's homegrown third-generation 64-bit A9 chip with the embedded M9 motion coprocessor and other minor updates.

Unfortunately, the device's A9 processor is outfitted with two gigabytes of RAM. iPhone 6s's A9 chip has two gigabytes of RAM as well, just like iPad Air 2's A8X chip, so this may not be that big of a deal. On the other hand, it's a letdown considering iPhone 7 Plus is rocking three gigabytes of RAM.

New report says iPhone 8 has a slightly curved display at the edges below 2.5D cover glass

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 16, 2017

Nikkei Asian Review yesterday shot down predictions by IHS Markit analyst Wayne Lam and DisplayMate expert Dr. Raymond Soneira who said Apple's 5.8-inch iPhone 8 will use a flat rather than a curved display. However, MacRumors has allegedly confirmed with multiple people familiar with the matter that the phone will indeed come outfitted with a mostly flat AMOLED display.

The device's display will reportedly feature slightly curved left and right edges in order to conform with the layer of 2.5D glass that covers the screen.

iPhone 8 may have (slightly) curved screen after all

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 15, 2017

Contradicting a recent report, Japanese outlet Nikkei Asian Review wrote Wednesday that Apple's rumored 5.8-inch iPhone will have a display based on active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) technology that's slightly curved on the sides, but not as curved as Samsung's Galaxy series.

A source familiar with the handset's design said the curve of the iPhone 8 screen will be “gentler” than the screen curvature of Samsung's Edge handsets because of the challenges of making curved glass covers to match screens.

Some experts think iPhone 8 will use flat rather than curved display

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 13, 2017

Previous reports from publications like The Wall Street Journal, Commercial Times, The Korea Herald and Nikkei, including high-ranking sources at suppliers such as Sharp as well as research from analyst from Barclays Research and KGI Securities, have predicted that iPhone 8 would come outfitted with a 5.8-inch wraparound AMOLED panel protected by a curved 2.5 glass cover on the front much like the cover glass on the iPhone 6s/7 series of phones which have the slightly curved edges.

However, several sources interviewed by MacRumors think iPhone 8 will have a flat rather than a curved screen due to lower manufacturing cost and better yields.

Third-party iPhone screen repairs no longer void warranty

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 26, 2017

Apple has changed its long-standing policy which used to fully void your iPhone warranty in case you replaced a smashed screen with a third-party display. According to an internal memo distributed to Apple's retail employees on Friday, confirmed by multiple sources and subsequently obtained by MacRumors, such cases no longer void warranty.

Specifically, an iPhone that has undergone a third-party screen repair is now eligible for an authorized repair by Apple Stores or Apple Authorized Service Providers while qualifying for warranty coverage, as long as the issue is unrelated to the display itself.

Apple Watch Series 3 with glass-film touch display to ship in second half of 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 21, 2017

A third-generation Apple Watch is expected to adopt a different display technology based on glass-film panels versus touch-on-lens panels utilized on Apple Watch Series 2 and glass-on-glass (two pieces of glass) ones on the original Apple Watch. Shipments of the tentatively named Apple Watch Series 3 are expected to start in the second half of 2017, as per sources cited in a Tuesday report from DigiTimes.

Apple reportedly orders 160 million OLED panels for iPhone 8 from Samsung Display

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 23, 2017

Apple has apparently signed a deal with Samsung Display, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, to build an additional 60 million organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels for iPhone 8, The Korea Herald newspaper reported Monday. The deal is worth five trillion Korean won, or about a $4.3 billion.

The deal is in addition to an agreement that Apple and Samsung signed last year to supply 100 million OLED display panels for iPhone 8.

OLED for iPhone 8 could add $50 million to Apple’s March quarter expenses

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 30, 2017

iPhone 8, or 10th Anniversary iPhone as affectionately dubbed by the media, is expected to adopt the unrivaled organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology as utilized on Apple Watch screens and the new MacBook Pro's Touch Bar.

OLEDs are more difficult and pricier to produce than the traditional LCD panels so the decision to outfit iPhone 8 with an OLED-based screen could cost Apple approximately $50 million in incremental costs in the March quarter, according to an investor memo from Cowen & Company's Timothy Arcuri obtained Monday by AppleInsider.

WSJ: Japan Display creating flexible LCD panels for 2018 iPhones

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 25, 2017

iPhone display supplier Japan Display has devised new manufacturing processes for mass production of flexible liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. According to a report Wednesday in The Wall Street Journal, Apple is considering using flexible LCD panels in iPhones launching in 2018 and beyond.

This is an interesting development in light of rumors that iPhone 8 will be equipped with a flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen. While not as flexible as curved OLED panels, Japan Display's new processes do allow for the creation of bendable LCDs that support designs like Samsung's curved-screen Galaxy Edge series.

Apple and iPhone manufacturer Foxconn may build highly automated $7B display plant in U.S.

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 23, 2017

According to Japanese outlet Nikkei Asian Review, iPhone manufacturer Foxconn's Chairman Terry Gou told journalists who attended his company's end-of-year corporate party that Foxconn is considering a joint investment with Apple topping $7 billion for a highly automated display facility in the United States.

It would eventually create 30,000-50,000 jobs.

Samsung seeks arbitration against Sharp and other LCD panel makers over supply halt

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 20, 2017

Samsung Electronics has filed a request for international arbitration against Sharp and two other LCD panel makers over supply panel halt, The Korea Herald reported Friday.

Owned by iPhone manufacturer Foxconn, Sharp said recently it would stop supplying LCDs to Samsung.

The Galaxy maker is now seeking $492 million in compensation from Sharp and other vendors, said industry sources. Samsung reportedly filed its request with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

LG teases big 5.7″ screen, smaller body, waterproof design & more for upcoming G6 flagship

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 13, 2017

LG Electronics is teasing an upcoming G6 flagship smartphone in a new 45-second teaser video posted to its YouTube channel yesterday.

Listing some of the things people apparently want in an ideal smartphone, the clip seems to tease a minimum-bezel 5.7-inch waterproof phone (you'll recall that Apple's iPhone 8 is rumored to feature increased IP68-rated water resistance).

Although it does not specifically mention G6, the clip asks you to “imagine how your wishes will come to life” before hinting it’ll all happen in February, when G6 is expected to be formally announced at Mobile World Congress.