Full-size image below
Japan Display—one of Apple’s iPhone display suppliers—announced a new 5.5-inch mobile phone display this week that could provide a hint at what we’ll see in the next iPhone. The display. The display sports a resolution of 1,440x 2,560 (or quad-HD) and a pixel density of 538ppi—well above “Retina” quality.
The display will go into mass production very soon, lining up with reports that the next iPhone display would also be entering this phase in the next month or so in order to achieve a September launch. The new Japan Display model matches up with the iPhone 6 rumors in size, resolution, and production schedule.
Could this be the next iPhone display? Only time will tell, but there seems to be a good chance of that being the case. Of course, the idea that an Apple parts provider would be tipping its hand so far in advance of any official announcement casts at least a little doubt onto the connection.
Apple is also planning to launch a 4.7-inch device around that same time, according to several recent reports. There’s no word yet on whether Japan Display will also manufacture that model or if Apple will source it from another company. LG is said to be working with Apple on next-gen mobile displays, so it’s possible they could be responsible for the 4.7-inch version.
Here’s a full look at the display in a photo provided by the manufacturer:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Doubt it completely. Apple will never do that because it costs way too much and the improvements are minimal. Plus, I doubt they will make a new iPhone larger than 5.5″.. but if they do, hopefully they use this screen, because it is better, even if marginally so.
No Idea what this comment was supposed to say. Each sentence is more perplexing than the one before it.
In 2014, Apple will not have an iPhone that has a display that is larger than 4.8.”
It remains to be seen. Part of me thinks only one new display size will be introduced. And that size is probably 4.7″.
I think 5.5″ is simply too big for a phone. But I suppose we’ll have to see. If it is THIS display with this resolution, and an iPhone UI appropriately scaled up to the display size….then it may be pretty awesome.
Scale up??? You clearly have no understanding of app development or UI, which is fine, but you troll around on 9to5mac like you know what you are talking about. You don’t SCALE UP app’s OR UI elements with Apple. This is the very reason for the iPad Mini to have the same resolution as the iPad 2 and the iPad Mini Retina to have the same resolution as the Air. Without this matching resolution it would have cannibalize the iPad App Store.
Stop being a dick and acting like you have anything other then an uneducated opinion.
PS: It would be anything BUT awesome. To test this open an iPhone app on your iPad and hit the 2X button in the bottom right hand corner. Then decided if that is “awesome”?
You’re actually wrong. On the iPad Mini Retina and iPad Air. The iPad Mini Retina has a better display because it has the same ppi as the iPhone 5/5s at 326 where the iPad Air still has like a 256 ppi display and yes ppi is a factor in screen resolution. More pixels is better resolution, period, we’ve seen that already now for years. And the only reason that you have to hit the 2x button on iPhone apps is because those developers are too lazy to create iPad version for the app. Obviously they’d be completely different apps built for the a 4.7″ and 5.5″ inch display. He wasn’t saying anything against that either just because he uses different terminology than you doesn’t make them wrong or a “dick and uneducated”.
I love when the pot meets the kettle. Ease up junior, everyone is entitled to an opinion on a public forum.
@dr3459 You are 1000% incorrect. iPad Mini retina apps don’t require a different app with rendered images and UI from the Air. That is the point that I am making that you missed. The ppi is higher because the physical screen SIZE is smaller but the number of pixels in the length and height are the same. You understand this now, correct? If you take 3,125,248 pixels and place them in a 9.7″ screen… then take the same number of pixels and place them in a 7.9″ screen they are going to be…….CLOSER! So for development purposes the iPad app’s are interchangeable. This is why Apple’s app store knows no competition.
Saying to scale up a display or UI for an Apple app is uneducated and PMZanetti trolls all the time. His first post is proof of his post types.
” And the only reason that you have to hit the 2x button on iPhone apps is because those developers are too lazy to create iPad version for the app.”… really dude, REALLY? Another point of mine you missed. I was pointing out what “scaling up” is any why Apple would do that for a device. And to say they are too lazy to create a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT app is ridiculous.
You are the epitome of lame. Chill out.
@Lincoln, He just used different terminology, i’m sure you understand what he means. In fact, that terminology works. If you are not a lazy developer and layout your views properly with auto layout or the newer system that allows you to position views relative to other views you’re app can actually scale pretty well for the most part. The reason some apps get pixelated is because they use lower res images. However, most good UI views utilize Quartz to draw out the view according to its current bounds, this eliminates the issue of using @2x images etc for most common UI elements. Sure, to make full use of the larger iPad display going from an iPhone app there can be quite a bit of extra work but to say that developers need to make a “Completely” new app is total horse shit; they usually only need separate views if anything.
Apple needs to use the larger screen area for more than just icons like this example. Plus this display looks gorgeous, with a sapphire screen it will be awesome.
I doubt they’ll even use a screen as big as 4.7″. I believe they might have a 4.5″ this time.
MAKE IT SO!
It doesn’t make sense to go that high.
1. On a screen that size, is there really that much visual difference when watching SD, 720, 1080 and up?
2. Do you really want to waste that much memory on HD material, much less quad-HD?
3. Unless you have fast unlimited data or fast WiFi, do you really want to download or stream those enormous data files?
Then there’s the waste of processing power and battery life… Not Apple’s style, but easily within the style of the phone manufacturers that prefer to sell on specs rather than user experience.
+1
You are right. Even our eyes still cannot distinguish pixels at 326ppi. So there is no point in using a display with 538ppi, we will not be able to feel much difference. And from a hardware point of view, they will have to put a big battery and a GPU with great processing power which may lead to overheating. Also the Apps that are created for the iPhone with quadHD resolution might require more memory. Totally pointless for Apple to choose this display for iPhone.
The side bezels seem to be pretty small on this display. May be this is a good sign for iphones to come.
It’s not the phone, just the screen that will be installed in the phone.
That’s obvious. I’m saying it might be a sign that the phone itself might have a bezel only that narrow.
Is there really any point to having a smartphone display with such high resolution? Meaning, the average eye doesn’t clearly see pixels in the 300 ppi range so why keep going higher? Or is there more to it than just pixel density? To me, it seems like these companies are just dicking around for pixel count bragging rights like they do with smartphone camera sensors. Quad-HD. Jeez. Gimme a break. Does Apple really have to compete like this against the Android smartphone manufacturers?
You are absolutely right. I dont think Apple will choose this.
Its all just blind guesswork. If the quality of this screen is up to apples standards then maybe but we have no way of telling. To say theres a ‘good chance’ of this being in the next iPhone is ridiculous.
1) No, this won’t be in any iPhone.
2) No.
3) No.