Apple iPad to use Samsung's new PLS LCD technology, possibly in a third iPad version this fall

We already heard the reports that the second generation of the Apple iPad is already in production, slimmer than the original, with a more powerful chipset, and two cameras. Makes a lot of sense, and the slate is scheduled for announcement late February or March, with availability soon after.

The screen, though, is pegged to be of the same resolution as in the first iPad, which is fine, since 768x1024 doesn't seem to present any viewing problems anyway. Two Korean sources, though, came out with the info that Samsung and Apple and in the final stages of inking a deal for Sammy's new LCD invention, the so-called Super PLS LCD (plane-to-line-swtiching).

It is characterized by 100% wider viewing angles than the IPS (in-plane-switching) LCD technology, like what we have in the iPhone 4, or the Motorola DROIDs, which already has very good viewing angles for an LCD effort. It is also 10% brighter than the IPS-LCD technology. Combine these features with 15% cheaper production costs, and we have a winner, which has attracted the attention of Apple, sources say, mainly because it offers better specs for a lower price than LG's current LCD screens it supplies for the iPad. The icing on the cake is that Samsung's PLS LCD supports WXGA resolutions of up to 800x1280 pixels, so that's what we might see in the next iPad.


Which next iPad, though? This resolution contradicts a bit the WSJ report that the iPad 2 will have the same pixel count as the original, but not if a third iPad is in the planning stage, where Samsung's PLS LCD might eventually end up. And that third Apple tablet version for fall release is precisely what's been circulating these days. What was a mere mention of a "fall surprise" from Apple turned into an information that "isn't a guess" about an iPad 3 coming this fall, which will shorten Apple's tablet refresh cycle this year, and move it to the time slot when Cupertino usually announces its iPod, iTunes and MacBook Air refreshes. 

Makes perfect sense for Apple - outing the iPad 2 in a few weeks will put them ahead of the curve once again, but with the upcoming onslaught of Android Honeycomb tablets, the BlackBerry PlayBook, and the HP TouchPad, the iPad 2 sales will undoubtedly diminish in the summer. Coming back with a vengeance in the fall with the best LCD screen technology, lit up by an already powerful dual-core chipset (rumor pegs it at 1.2GHz), and higher screen quality/resolution, will place them at the tablet top again.

And, as far as iPad OLED display possibilities go, Apple recently filed a couple of patents for them, but Samsung is nowhere near ready to produce 7" or bigger Super AMOLED screens, although it demoed such a few times. It will be able to mass produce bigger OLED screens maybe late this year, and Apple is probably trying those out too, provided that the price is competitive, but they most likely will go into tablets next year.

Apple already broke the one-year refresh cycle of the iPhone with Verizon's version of the iPhone 4, which has slight modifications both inside and out, compared to the original. It will milk a few million unit sales off of this decision before the next iPhone hits in the summer, so we have an example of how quickly Cupertino can break the mold, and adjust to the swift changes in the mobile industry. Therefore a new and improved iPad 3 in the fall, half a year after the iPad 2 refresher, is not out of the question.

Source: SamsungHub, KoreaHerald, Electronista & TechCrunch