Apple needs suppliers for touchscreens

IT SEEMS THAT Apple has been hit by a shortage of touchscreens in the Far East and has had to find an additional supplier.

For a while there have been rumours that touchscreens have become so popular that Apple was unable to get all it wanted for its ambitious Ipad plans.

According to Digitimes, Samsung Electronics has been tapped to become the second supplier of TFT-LCD panels for the Ipad. It will be used alongside Apple's current supplier LG Electronics.

However Samsung uses a slightly different touchscreen technology than LG. It uses super patterned vertical alignment while LG prefers in-plane switching technology. However both Samsung's and LG Display's panels meet Apple's requirements, such as scratch resistance, sources said.

LG Display shipped 300,000 to 400,000 panels for the Ipad in February and nearly 500,000 units in March.

Apparently CMI and AUO, which are the two largest panel makers in Taiwan, are also on standby to supply touchscreens to Job's Mob but are unlikely to pick up extra work in the short run. µ