LG and Samsung are still struggling to produce enough 2048×1536 resolution Retina displays for next year’s iPad 3 launch, reports CNET’s Brooke Crothers, due to technical challenges associated with producing such high-density displays in volumes high enough to meet demand.
The resolution of the panels is double that on the existing iPad 2, and bring’s the display’s pixel density up to 264 pixels per inch. Crother’s source explains the difficulty:
It’s not a question of making just one. That, of course, can be done. The challenge is making lots of them. This is a quantum leap in pixel density. This hasn’t been done before.
According to the report, if manufacturers are not able to produce enough of the higher resolution displays, 1600×1200 displays might be used instead. It’s unlikely, however, that Apple would opt for a 1600×1200 display, as it would require developers to redesign their apps due to scaling concerns.
Faced with such a choice, it’s likely that Apple would either wait for the higher-resolution displays to be produced, or continue using the same panels currently used in the iPad 2.