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
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week.
Past Launch Dates
Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
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...
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 iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC.
Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple.
Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
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,...
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.
Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch.
According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020.
If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic.
Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation,...
