Competing technologies - Page 41

Back in May, Samsung (the only company with a mass-production AMOLED plant) announced that they can't meet up with the demand for AMOLED displays. Soon later we heard that the HTC Incredible is suffering from AMOLED shortage, and later on HTC decided to use LCDs instead of OLEDs in that phone (and others). Samsung, meanwhile, is said to be keeping all Super-AMOLED displays for themselves.

In fact, HTC is not alone: Pantech made the same decision, and we keep hearing of new devices that were originally said to have AMOLEDs, but actually use LCDs instead. Samsung's own Galaxy-S phone is a huge success, so even Samsung probably cannot use AMOLEDs in other devices.

A few days ago we reported that T-Mobile is set to release a new android phone, the HTC G2, which will have an AMOLED display. T-Mobile has officially announced the phone, although the specs aren't available yet. But it seems that it'll have a Super-LCD display rather than an AMOLED.

It seems that until the AMOLED supply shortage is over, we won't see a lot of new AMOLED phones (except from Samsung, in any case).

Engadget has posted a short video showing a preview of Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablet computer. So it's not official yet, but according to the video, it has a LED-LCD, not a Super-AMOLED. We'd obviously love Samsung to release a tablet with an AMOLED, but realistically it's unlikely - they can't keep up with current demand of small AMOLEDs for mobile phones...

Update: The video has been pulled from YouTube (it's been made private, actually).

Here's a nice video comparing the HTC Desire with an AMOLED to the same phone with a Super-LCD display (IPS-LCD). The AMOLED is on the right, and is brighter, and has a better contrast (the blacks are really black...). It does have a small 'pinkish' color effect though...

HTC are now offering the Desire with the LCD option because of AMOLED shortage. According to HTC, they look pretty much the same, although the LCD uses more power.

The Samsung-Tab (or Galaxy Tab) tablet computer rumors continue. Today a Korean site claimed that Samsung will announce their tablet computer at IFA 2010 (September 3rd). It will come in two versions: 7" and 10". Both will be using an LCD display, not a Super-AMOLED.

Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab

I guess we'll have to wait for official news from Samsung. But we know that they are facing a shortage of AMOLED displays and they won't be able to make a large number of 7" AMOLED panels - so going with an LCD display, at least for now makes sense.

Last month we heard some rumors that Apple is going to release smaller iPads, with 5.6" and 7" OLED displays. Back then we said it's highly unlikely that Apple will use OLEDs as supplies are so tight currently. Now we have some new rumors about a 7" iPad, but with an IPS LCD display (that has the same 1024x768 resolution as the iPad 9.7"). This makes more sense...

Amazon has just announced the third generation of their popular Kindle e-reader devices. The new Amazon Kindle is smaller, and lighter but still has the same display size. They are using E Ink's next-generation "Pearl" displays which offer 50% improved contrast.

There are two versions: Wi-Fi only and WiFi/3G. Both versions will ship on August 27th, and can be pre-ordered now. The Wi-Fi only will cost $139, and will come in Graphite. The 3G version will cost $189, and you can choose between white and Graphite.

Here's a nice comparison between Sony's Super-LCD (as used in the HTC desire now) and Samsung's AMOLED and Super-AMOLED displays.

The conclusion: "all the displays were really good, they all had decent color and respectable viewing angles. The super AMOLED was noticeably less reflective than the others and was blacker with the best viewing angles. Super LCD had similar detail in the rock face video and had a superior horizontal viewing angle compared to a regular AMOLED display. The AMOLED had slightly better blacks (you can't tell from the video - sorry) and slightly better vertical viewing angles. Both Super LCD and AMOLED were very reflective."

A few weeks ago it was rumored that HTC will start using Super-LCD displays instead of OLEDs in the HTC Desire and Nexus-One handsets. HTC says that the displays are comparable, and that the S-LCD actually consumes less power than the AMOLED displays.

HTC plans to start producing Incredible phones (and also Google Nexus One phones) that use IPS-LCD (or Super-TFT LCD) made by Sony. They will also keep using AMOLEDs - so we'll see two models of these phones. HTC is doing this because Samsung cannot deliver enough AMOLED panels.

HTC claims that there's no discernible difference between the LCDs and the AMOLEDs, and they are working on some prototypes that we'll hopefully see soon.