iPhone 5 to Employ New Touch Panel Technology
Apple is working on including new touch panel technology into its upcoming iPhone device, which is expected to be released later this year.
The latest rumor has been reported by DigiTimes, and the "in cell touch panels" are expected to be included to make for a lighter iPhone.
DigiTimes also stated that there has been an improvement on the yield rate for these touch screens and that Apple is working with two Japanese companies in order to acquire these components for the device.
Both a Japan-based division of Sharp and Toshiba are collaborating with Apple on the project.
CNET described this new technology in detail. "In-cell multitouch technology integrates touch into the thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD manufacturing process, obviating the need for additional sensors and glass," wrote the site. "This reduces the weight of the device, among other benefits."
There will be display conferences held in Taiwan that will speak about this technology. The report also states that Japanese companies plan to speed up production of these components in the second quarter of 2012. Apple's iPhone is expected to be released in the third quarter.
The device is also rumored to include Qualcomm's 28nm modem chip that the manufacturer is having issues with producing at a fast rate.
This problem might push back the release of the next generation iPhone to October.
"At this stage we cannot secure enough supply to meet the increasing demand we are experiencing," said Chief Executive of Qualcomm Paul Jacobs to analysts on a conference call yesterday.
The chips are meant to help the new iPhone and a slew of new handsets function on 4G LTE networks.
The release date for the iPhone should take place somewhere in between June and October, however nothing on the device has been confirmed by Apple.
Other rumored features on the device include a 4-inch display and a frame made from liquidmetal.
