iPad 3 with hi-res display coming 'early' 2012, says WSJ

Summary: Don’t be looking for an iPad 3 this holiday season as its rumored Retina display is proving a handful for Apple’s Asian suppliers like Samsung and LG.

Looking for the next iPad this holiday season? You will have to wait until “early” 2012 as the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple’s manufacturing partners in Asia are still building the next-generation device.

According to WSJ’s source at one of Apple’s suppliers, the Cupertino company has already placed orders for about 1.5 million iPad 3s, “Suppliers will ramp up production and try to improve the yield rate for the new iPad in the fourth quarter before its official launch in early 2012.”

The new iPad is rumored to have a much higher-resolution display that goes beyond full HD at 2048 by 1536 — the iPad 2’s display is only 1024 by 768 — but is proving to be a tall order for Apple’s flat screen suppliers. Apple has been testing display technologies from both Samsung and LG, which are having trouble meeting Apple’s iPad 3 dimensions “since the Retina Display screens require more backlighting and are thus physically larger,” according SlashGear. Meanwhile, Chimei Innolux the LCD supplier of the iPad 2 has failed certification for repeat (iPad) business from Apple, as DigiTimes reported.

Apple certainly sounds like it is going through a lot of trouble to create a new standard in tablet display resolution, but is this something consumers really need or want, especially if a higher-res screen could increase the price tag? What would you most like to see in the iPad 3?

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