The new iPad was 'Plan B' for Apple

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,256   +192
Staff member

A new report suggests that the new iPad is actually Cupertino’s “Plan B” as the original idea was to launch a tablet that was thinner and lighter than the iPad 2. Apple wanted to use a new display technology from Sharp but the Japanese multinational wasn’t able to have the tech ready in time.

CNET notes that Apple initially planned to use IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) semiconducting material to create the new iPad screens. DisplayMate Technologies CEO Raymond Soneira told the publication that IGZO features a lot higher electron mobility which would allow them to make the transistors and the circuit elements a lot smaller.

DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim is confident that the new iPad that Apple released wasn’t part of the original plan. He notes that they pushed the amorphous silicon to a higher pixel per inch than anyone else has but since the light throughput wasn’t very good, they needed double the number of LEDs. This made the 70 percent larger battery mandatory to keep the same battery rating claims as the iPad 2 which ultimately led to the thicker and heavier tablet.

Apple hasn’t had any trouble convincing people to buy their third generation iPad as evident by the 11.8 million tablets the company shipped last quarter. But as many (me included) pointed out when the device was first announced, the increased thickness and weight went against Apple’s mantra as it was heftier than the model it replaced.

Sharp has since started producing panels based on IGZO technology which we could possibly see in the next generation iPad or other tech gadgets.

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C.awesome, I don't think so. The improvements would be too tangible for a point release and take too much away from the 'best iThing ever' next gen.
 
With Steve Jobs no longer at the helm of Apple, we will see the tenants that Mr. Jobs set forth slowly fall away. Here is the first one. From now on Apple needs to ask themselves exactly how would Jobs have done it. If they dont Apple will slowly fall the way all tech companys do that cant keep up with the consumer base.
Capt. I 100% guarentee that Apple will be putting the new displays in later models. Its what they do. If sales start falling off, they will just put out the new models with the better displays and remarket them with an even flashier media campaign.
 
T.Stryke. What the h*** are you trying to say? Apple and any smart company would never have only a single possible plan for a next release on class leading technology. Often the tech is simply not ready.

And of course they're going to want to make the next release as impressive as possible and at the same time try to avoid irritating current clients by releasing substantially better iterations of the same model.

What does this have to do with Steve?
 
Let's not forget we're talking about the iPad and not the iPhone. Apple is still owning the tablet market, and has plenty of time before they need another home run. The current 'competing' tablets are hardly even in the same category. Things like the Kindle Fire, Nook, and maybe Asus MeMo. They're all priced at or under $250.

I don't see them having any trouble keeping up just yet.... at least not in this market.
 
I was thinking about getting the new ipad but after reading this I think I will go with the ipad 2 or maybe the refurbished one
 
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