Confusion: Sharp is the one who may have won the dispute to supply LCDs to Apple

Contrary to what it said last week, the Japanese newspaperNikkan Kogyo said today that Sharp will continue to provide Apple LCDs for use in future iPhones. The same publication mentioned that Ma had severed relations with its partner to sign an exclusive contract with Toshiba, the current supplier of NAND flash memories for the manufacture of several iProducts.

iPhone 4 CDMA

However, Sharp may have won the contest against the rival thanks to Apple's interest in a new LCD manufacturing technology, which would have been the determining factor in its selection. ONikkan claims that the company is very interested in polycrystalline silicon screens (p-Si), built using a method that reduces the thickness and weight of the panel.

Such technology allows the display drivers to be mounted directly on its glass substrate, reducing the need for supporting components and, consequently, the amount of energy needed to keep the LCD turned on with the maximum possible brightness. Polycrystalline silicon is also a component that suffers less than that of heat, contributing to its rapid dissipation from any appliance.

According to the newspaper, Sharp's new technology will be used in the iPhone 6, which should not appear on the market before 2012 or until 2013. However, the company is already preparing some installations to work with its new technology, which should be integrated into TVs before appearing on the Apple smartphone.

(via AppleInsider)