Apple iPhone 5 To Have Thinner Screen--WSJ

The Wall Street Journal has reported that the new Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone 5 will have a thinner design and a higher resolution display. The makes it sound like the smartphone will be quite a bit like the new Samsung Galaxy S III which has taken the market by storm. The Samsung phone runs on 4G networks, which current iPhones do not. Some analysts believe this is a competitive advantage because Sprint-Nextel (NYSE: S), AT&T (NYSE: T), and Verizon Wireless have pushed these network services so hard. The iPhone might be late to market because of this.

WSJ reports:

Apple’s next iPhone will use a technology that makes the smartphone’s screen thinner, people familiar with the matter said, as the U.S. technology giant strives to improve technological features amid intensifying competition from Samsung Electronics  and other rivals.

Sharp, Japan Display and LG Display are currently mass producing panels for the next iPhone using so-called in-cell technology, the people said.

The technology not only makes the whole screen thinner, but the quality of displayed images would improve, said DisplaySearch analyst Hiroshi Hayase.

Douglas A. McIntyre