Sharp to ship new iPhone displays to Apple this month
updated 08:23 am EDT, Thu August 2, 2012
Sharp ramping up next-gen mobile display production
Taking a leaf from Sony President Sir Howard Stringer, who let it be known that it was supplying camera sensors to Apple, Sharp President Takashi Okuda has done likewise. Speaking to journalists following Sharp's $1.2 billion loss for Q1, Okuda touted that its new mobile displays headed for the new iPhone "will start in August." However, Okuda wouldn't be pushed beyond revealing that the displays were now ready for OEMs.
Rumors have been circulating for some time regarding Sharp's role as a component supplier in Apple's upcoming products. It, along with Toshiba, have been working on improving their yields for thinner mobile displays that use in-cell touchscreen technology. The new display technology embeds the touch sensors within the TFT layer, instead of the traditional overlay making it thinner while offering added clarity.
The next-generation iPhone is expected to be unveiled at a special mid-September iPhone event. The device is then expected to ship as soon as one week after the event with a global roll out beginning September 21. Also expected at the event is Apple's rumored 7.85-inch tablet.
