Apple tablets pushed to 2H 2010, to get OLED model?
updated 07:35 am EST, Thu November 19, 2009
Second Apple tablet would have new screen
Apple may have delayed the launch of its repeatedly rumored tablet line to incorporate newer parts that could include an OLED touchscreen, a purported leak claims today. While an often mentioned 10.6-inch version with an LCD is still deemed on tap, the entire line may have been moved to the second half of 2010 to accommodate a 9.7-inch OLED from LG Display. The company may be delaying the launch to wait for OLED prices to fall, as a panel costs $500 today where Apple could save $200 to $300 just by waiting several months.
Unofficial estimates from DigiTimes claim the pure manufacturing cost of the OLED tablet would originally have cost between $1,500 and $1,700 but could reach $1,200 to $1,500 if Apple waits. The retail cost could be as high as $2,000 and may lead many users to buy the LCD version, which is estimated to cost between $800 and $1,000.
The prices would be expensive for tablet devices, but a version with 3G could offset the price by seeing some of the price subsidized by a carrier.
In addition to the tablet, the same sources assert that Apple's $500 million deal with LG Display for displays will specifically give the American company better deals on OLEDs in general should it choose to use them for given products. OLEDs aren't likely to become cost effective until later into the five-year agreement but have a number of technical advantages, especially in handheld devices. Although harder to see in bright daylight, they can display true black and produce much richer colors; on average, they also consume less energy than LCDs and are thinner since they produce their own illumination without a backlight.
ho-hum ...
11/19, 07:44am reply
We've been hearing these rumors/predictions for years, and nothing has ever materialized. When I hear it from Steve, I'll believe it.
cwsmith
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2007
ho-hum ...
11/19, 07:46am (1 reply) reply
We've been hearing these rumors/predictions for years, and nothing has ever materialized. When I hear it from Steve, I'll believe it.
cwsmith
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2007
I believe all this is pure speculation
11/19, 10:35am reply
as usual. The prices of these tablets are rather high considering the prices of what I hear people want to pay. I keep hearing that they only want to pay around $400 to $600 for a tablet. Not sure a lot of people would pay $1200. Diehard Apple users, maybe, but that would be it. I was hoping the educational sector would be major buyers of the tablet, but I doubt if they'd be willing to put out that sort of money.
iphonerulez
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Joined: Nov 2008
more delays...
11/19, 11:00am reply
the mac tablet will be pushed back to late 2010 for OLED displays...
the awesome mac tablet will be pushed back to 2011 for light peak...
the incredibly awesome mac tablet will be pushed back to 2012 for spintronic memory...
the amazingly awesome mac tablet will be pushed back to 2013 for quantum processing...
the awesomely awesome mac tablet will be pushed back to 2014 for holoprojection...
the stupendously amazingly awesome mac tablet will be pushed back to 2015 for artificial intelligence...
forty more years of this...
oops, steve jobs dies in 2055. no more mac tablet.
the steve jobs memorial mac tablet will be released in 2056.
the steve jobs tablet will be pushed back to 2057 for...
darkelf
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2003
OLED is just a FAD
11/19, 11:57am reply
OLED is useless for any device that might be used outside or in some other well light environment. It is also less energy efficient than LCD for displaying "white" which is what you would typically see the most of on a tablet with documents.
I could go on with the blue pigment colour shift problem.
The basic gist of this is that OLED is not ready for prime time now, if ever and it is bad for the environment in its current form because of its short life span and high power consumption when displaying white pixels which you see a lot of on the web and in documents.
aristotles
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Re: I believe
11/19, 12:42pm reply
What???? Speculation??? Are you kidding me??? This isn't speculation. This is based on hard-facts, leaked from unnamed sources with connections to companies that do business with companies that do business with Apple and might, at some point, be selected to manufacture these devices.
Plus, with all the rumors about a tablet, it must be true!
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
ONE WORD, JUST 1 WORD
11/19, 01:59pm reply
MODBOOK
www.AxioTron.com
ScottG
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Joined: Jan 2005