Apple COO Tim Cook allegedly discussed using AMOLED displays in the next iPad with parts supplier Samsung recently. Word of the discussions comes courtesy of anonymous industry sources, according to Asia News Network, who claim Apple offered Samsung an advance payment for the displays.
AMOLED iPad 3? Maybe
AMOLED displays use an organic LED technology and offer high quality images, which could make for a nice next generation iPad feature. The likelihood that Samsung’s AMOLED displays will end up in the iPad 2, however, isn’t that great since so far there’s only an anonymous source offering up the information.
The rumor also mentions a late 2011 release for the iPad 3, which would break from Apple’s typical once-a-year upgrade cycle for iOS devices. The notion that Apple might release two iPad revisions in 2011 started as idle speculation on the part of Daring Fireball’s John Gruber and quickly took on a life of its own as a rumor.
A Samsung spokesperson also claimed to be unaware of any display talks with Apple.
Samsung is already using AMOLED displays in its own Galaxy S 2 smartphone, and could at some point start using the technology in its Galaxy Tab tablet device.
While Samsung already supplies some parts for Apple’s products, the two companies are also squaring off for a legal battle over claims that Samsung copied the look and feel of the iPad and iPhone for its own products. That isn’t, however, stopping Apple from buying components from the company.
“We’re Samsung’s largest customer, and Samsung is a very valued component supplier to us,” Mr. Cook said. “Separately from this, we felt their mobile communication division had crossed the line.”