After months of fighting Court battles with arch rival Samsung, Apple appears to have switched large chunks of their component sourcing from Korean manufacturers LG and Samsung, to sourcing OEM components for their new iPhone and iPads from a combination of Japanese companies including Toshiba, Hitachi, Sharp and Sony.The move could strip billions from the revenues of the Korean companies who are set to compete head on with Apple in the smartphone, tablet, PC and in mid 2012 the TV market.
Several sources have said that Sharp is currently building a new 55″ Apple TV while other sources have said that two of the three companies forming the Japan Display alliance, Hitachi and Sony, were already producing both iPad 3 LCDs and four-inch LCDs for a “new iOS device.”
It’s also been tipped that the iPad design is set to change and that a Taiwan firm was set to provide LCD technology to Apple.
Electronista said that with multiple sources pointing to Sharp’s involvement in the iPad 3 and LG and Samsung staying, it’s more likely that, at best, Hitachi and Sony would be providing supplemental production rather than handling core production. Any full-scale iOS device introductions are also improbable given the launch of the iPhone 4S just in October and a mild iPod touch refresh. If any activity is happening for the smaller screen, it may be test production for engineering prototypes.
Apple is still unofficially expected to be tapping Japanese companies for help more so than it has in the past. The 2048×1536 iPad 3 screen reported in multiple tips would likely face issues because of its relative density, and it might benefit from the help of Japanese companies already familiar with making very dense screens. Sharp may play the most role with the 2012 iPhone, since it may be key to designing LTPS-based displays that are more efficient than what’s available today.
