iPhone 5 In-Cell Touchscreen Rolling Out At LG
The CEO of LG Display has this week made it clear that they've started production of display panels using in-cell technology, these panels quite likely headed for Apple's new iPhone (aka the iPhone 5) next month. While LG has not been able to be specific about where the panels will be used, Han Sang-beom, LG Display's chief executive, did allow reporters to know that though they'd been struggling with perfecting the technology up until now, "those hard times have finally ended." LG is a major supplier of flat screens utilized by Apple's iPad and iPhone devices.
If you'll have a peek back at an in-cell patent that appeared with Apple's name on it earlier this month, you'll find that they are indeed prepping the technology for future products. This technology allows LCD and touch recognition hardware to be integrated into one unit rather than two, allowing whichever product that uses a touchscreen with said technology to have much more room for other components behind the screen – or a thinner product overall.
Another interesting point to be made here is that the patent was originally filed all the way back in 2007 when the iPhone was first produced. This very well could simply mean that the technology was invented then and took this long to perfect – this tying in well with LG's current announcement that they'd "had some hard times at first". Han also let reporters known at that "the in-cell technology is the industry's latest development. We will be able to supply the panels without any fail."
For those of you looking to pick up the new iPhone, you'll want to make sure you're prepared to pick up a converter accessory as well as the device itself – there's a new docking port in the mix too! We'll be prepping several articles between here and the final announcement for the iPhone 5 – or whatever it'll end up being called – so that you're fully ready for the drop. Get ready for a whole new generation of Apple product!
Also note that the image above is a rendering of the new iPhone as created by the talented folks at NWE. Probably quite close to reality!
[via WSJ]