More Confirmation of Sharp Supplying iPad 3 Displays - MacRumors
Skip to Content

More Confirmation of Sharp Supplying iPad 3 Displays

The Wall Street Journal offers their own sources that confirm that Apple will be using Sharp as a source of display parts for the upcoming iPad 3.

Apple Inc. is adding Sharp Corp. as a maker of screens used in the next-generation iPad, people familiar with the situation said Thursday, as the U.S. consumer electronics company moves to diversify component suppliers for its products.

According to their source, Apple is also investing in Sharp's panel manufacturing factories in Japan to ensure it can get enough supplies for its iOS devices.

white ipad 2 oblique

Sharp already supplies iPhone panels and is also said to be supplying panels for the next iPhone which is also due next year.

Sharp has been mentioned a number of times by various rumors as a new source of iPad screens for Apple. A recent analyst report said that production of iPad 3 screens was already underway and included Samsung, LG and Sharp.

Then, just on Wednesday, another analyst reported that Sharp may actually be supplying Apple with specially designed screens for the iPad 3. According to that report, Apple and Sharp have developed a new technology to allow a thinner high resolution display for the next iPad. Finally, Sharp may also be involved in Apple's television set plans, also supplying parts for that project as well.

Popular Stories

Apple Card iPhone 16 Pro Feature

Apple Card Promo to Offer Free AirPods Pro 3

Friday May 15, 2026 8:59 am PDT by
Starting as early as next week, customers who sign up for an Apple Card at Apple's retail stores in the U.S. will receive $249 cash back when they purchase AirPods Pro 3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The promotion has yet to be officially announced by Apple, so exact terms and conditions are not available at this time. AirPods Pro 3 are priced at $249 in the U.S., so customers who...
Apple WWDC25 iOS 26 CarPlay Light mode 250609

Six Popular iPhone Apps Now Available on CarPlay

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:10 am PDT by
Apple's CarPlay system for accessing iPhone apps on a vehicle's dashboard screen has received six popular apps in recent weeks: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and the indie artist streaming platform Audiomack. Make sure you have the latest version of each app and they will automatically appear on CarPlay. ChatGPT Starting with iOS 26.4, CarPlay supports voice-based...
ipad mini 7 blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Thursday May 14, 2026 5:08 am PDT by
According to the latest rumors, Apple is close to launching its next-generation iPad mini. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code...

Top Rated Comments

derbladerunner Avatar
189 months ago
For those who missed my link earlier, this is a promo video for Sharp's Sakai plant, Sharp's newest factory:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPzL2ujDldw

Pretty amazing site, also does solar cells. Started operations in 2010. I guess Apple would use this site.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macse30 Avatar
189 months ago
Sharp is world class at this.

---

Edit: Ha! I got -3 votes on this. I've been to their factory. You?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
189 months ago
Guh... screen res bump. chip bump. ram bump...

Waiting for the next big swing o the brush.

Can't wait to see the broad strokes again, Apple.

Quadrupling the screen resolution is one hell of a "bump". I've never been interested in an iPad but that will certainly change if they deliver resolution at that level.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SilentLoner Avatar
189 months ago
I'll be there ready to buy whenever it's out. That's all :)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pigumon Avatar
189 months ago
Do we really need retina display iPad's? I think it's fine for iPod Touch and iPhone since the screens are smaller, but hell that high res display on my iPad 2 looks fine. OK so there's a market for design pro's who want to show off their portfolios but otherwise I don't see it being much beyond marketing hype. There needs to be more then that.

I'm sure someone out there will be like "What about Farmville in HD??".

I think I'd rather see a retina display upgrade in the MacBook Air sooner then the iPad.

Or even better, just merge the iPad and MacBook Air. Allow me to remove the screen from an Air and have it be an iPad.

I have a feeling you don't use or like the iPad, as your main example is Farmville. Forget gaming. Have you looked at a webpage, or tried to read any text on the iPad? It's worse than a computer monitor. You see every pixel, every bit of anti-aliasing.

Think of magazines especially. The text and the photos will be amazing, to the point where using the iPad in place of a traditional periodical might be BETTER, not worse.

The iphone/ipod touch argument doesn't work because the size of the graphics are the same, it's the pixel density that changes, the clarity. Text is the same size, icons are the same size, it just all looks BETTER when you don't see pixels. It's easier to read and less strain. That applies to ALL screens, no matter the size.

God, this is like the same argument when people said the iPhone didn't need a retina display........ :mad:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diddl14 Avatar
189 months ago
Think Sharp is also the only panel producer that can provide a moth-eye coating.

Hope Apple will adopt that for the iPad3. Boosts contrast and black-levels by absorbing virtually all reflections...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)