DisplaySearch Analyst Richard Shim, according to CNET, said that three different companies have started the manufacture of a 2048 x 1536 iPad 3 display for Apple. “It’s happening… Panel Production has started,” Shim told CNET on Monday.
Mr. Shim also relayed the fact that Apple has chosen three different companies to make the IPS (In-plane switching) display: Samsung, Sharp and LGD.
Particularly interesting is the selection of Samsung, a company Apple has seen a lot of in court lately. By selecting Samsung, Apple seems to be saying that they’ll do business with a high tech frenemy, but also reserves the option to shift more production to one of the other suppliers. And because this display is so difficult to manufacture, Apple will need all the suppliers that can possibly make such a display.
A notable advantage of staying with the 4:3 aspect ratio and doubling the resolution from the current iPad’s 1024 x 768 resolution to 2048 x 1564 is that it’s an integral multiple, and that’s good for developers — it allows the apps to maintain scale on all iOS devices. In addition, standard High Definition is 1920 x 1080, so there’s plenty of resolution available for native 1080p content.
What isn’t so clear is whether Apple feels panicked by the Kindle Fire. Early technical reviews haven’t been favorable, but that won’t keep Amazon from shipping an expected 6 million units this quarter. Whether Apple will try to accelerate the traditional iPad schedule from a March/April 2012 release is still uncertain.