CES 2012: Panasonic's 20-Inch Display at 216 PPI Arrives Amid Rumors of 'Retina' MacBook Pro
Last month, Apple was rumored to be preparing to launch a 'Retina'-resolution 15-inch MacBook Pro early this year carrying a resolution of 2880x1800 pixels. The rumors are also being fueled in part by OS X 10.7.3 beta versions showing evidence of continued work on a HiDPI mode to display existing content at the correct sizes for these ultra-high pixel densities.
Supporting the idea that displays offering the necessary pixel density are approaching market readiness, Panasonic yesterday showed off (via Engadget) its new 20.4-inch IPS Alpha LCD panel registering at 3840x2160, a density of 216 pixels per inch.
Panasonic Corporation, a leader in high-definition display technology, has developed a 20-inch 4K2K (3,840 x 2,160 resolution, approx. 8.29 million pixels) IPS Alpha LCD panel, the smallest as a 4K2K-resolution display. The new panel has the world’s highest pixel density of 216 pixels per inch (ppi) and the thickness of only 3.5 mm, the thinnest in the world. A prototype panel will be unveiled at the 2012 International CES to be held in Las Vegas, United States from January 10 to 13.
IPS Alpha panels are suitable for making ultra-high definition displays because of their simple pixel structure - one of the characteristics of the IPS panels - as well as their high contrast ratio, excellent color reproducibility with rich gradation and the industry's highest-level light transmission rate that were implemented by Panasonic’s unique IPS-Pro technology.
Apple's rumored Retina-resolution MacBook Pro would come in at roughly the same pixel density as Panasonic's display, suggesting that the display manufacturers are indeed working on products within the realm of Apple's goals.
Apple's Retina display introduced on the iPhone 4 marked a significant step forward for the smartphone industry, offering the crispest image quality seen on a mobile display. Apple's interest in HiDPI display modes on the Mac and rumors of ultra high-resolution displays for its notebooks suggest that the company is attempting to bring that same leap to larger screens, making for easier reading and sharper images using pixels that are individually indistinguishable at typical viewing distances.
Popular Stories
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone.
In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports.
iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker.
According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs.
On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge.
Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
