Retina display

Reports of Apple considering a larger display size on the next generation iPhone are nothing new, but according to a South Korean newspaper, suppliers have already taken orders for the components. Apple is said to be moving forward with a whopping 4.6-inch screen on the iPhone 5.

This would be a significant jump from Apple's iPhone-standard 3.5-inch Retina display. Competing smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung already offer models with 4.3 and 4.6 inch diagonal screens, while Apple has yet to bump up this dimension on the iPhone.

Apple told third party iOS developers that they can only submit Retina display screenshots for their iPhone and iPod apps. This not only signals the end of the 480×320 app, but it could be the first sign that Apple plans to discontinue the iPhone 3GS when the next generation iPhone is released.

It's safe to assume that the iPhone 4 will eventually replace the iPhone 3GS as the low device on the totem pole. This will make 480×320 resolution apps obsolete. Many believed the iPhone 3GS was going to be discontinued last year, but the delay of the iPhone 5 allowed Apple to keep it around to compete in the low-end smartphone market for the holidays.

Most of the hype surrounding the iPhone 5 display has been centered on its size, with industry observers predicting that Apple will increase the next generation display to 4 inches. New information points to an even more intriguing possibility, that the iPhone 5 will feature Sharp's IGZO display technology in a cutting-edge mobile touchscreen.

The diagram above from Semiconductor Portal illustrates the advantage of IGZO transistors. These indium, gallium, and zinc (IGZO) transistors replace standard amorphous silicon thin-film transistors in the Sharp components, which provide higher electron mobility. This means display pixels can be smaller and more light passes through the IGZO display.