iPad 3 Release Date: Dual LED Light Bars Prepared for Retina Display
Apple is creating a new backlight solution to maintain the level of brightness for the iPad 3's retina display.
The DigiTimes technology website received information from sources within Apple's Taiwanese supply chain.
The sources said the single LED backlight bar designed for the iPad 2's 1024 x 768 resolution display won't handle the iPad 3's retina display. The iPad 3's retina display is rumored to come in at 2048 by 1536 pixels.
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Apple has met with LED backlight unit vendors to develop new solutions for the iPad 3 display. One idea proposed to Apple is a new design that maintains a single-bar form factor but with two LED chips nestled inside. Apple is reportedly leaning more towards a second option.
Two dual-LED light bars would be inserted inside the iPad 3. One would lie on the left and the other would lie on the right of the tablet.
AppleInsider offered more information on the production issues of the iPad 3: "Difficulty with the higher resolution displays and new LED backlight design is already reported to have 'affected the launch schedule' of the iPad 3. Still, necessary components for the tablet's production have been arriving at Apple's overseas manufacturing facilities since the end of October, as Apple reportedly aspires to pre-construct roughly 2 million of the new tablets by the end of December in anticipation of a launch in March of 2012."
The iPad 3 will launch in March 2012 with a minor update and a thinner design.
Apple's next tablet will reportedly feature a slimmer body and improved battery life. It is still unknown on whether the iPad 3 will come with Siri, the voice-enabled feature.
A recently published patent application filed by Apple also indicated the iPad 3 will come with hands free controls. Apple filed for this technology patent back in the second quarter of 2010.
The patent application that was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office presents a visual interpretation of the controls.
Owners of Apple's next iPad device may be able to control cursors, icons, files, lists, text, and images with various hand signals. Users would use several specific hand gesture animations to manipulate any number of the tablet's activities.
Apple has reportedly started working with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company on the A6 processor that may power the iPad 3. The Taiwan-based manufacturer has not been confirmed as the producer of Apple’s A6 chip.
Nevertheless, when it ships sometime in the future, the company's status behind the A6 chip should be authorized.
