幾家媒體今日?qǐng)?bào)道稱，蘋果正在試驗(yàn)較小的屏幕，準(zhǔn)備用于即將推出的新款iPad。 外界對(duì)此的普遍看法是，與韓國三星電子競爭的蘋果公司，正在拓寬其平板電腦產(chǎn)品線。三星Galaxy Tab提供三種尺寸：7英寸，8.9英寸和10.1英寸，價(jià)格也不一樣。蘋果iPad和iPad 2只有9.7英寸一種尺寸。分析師還指出，亞馬遜旺銷的Kindle Fire的屏幕尺寸是7英寸，正在搶奪蘋果的平板電腦市場份額。 除了向消費(fèi)者提供更多的平板電腦尺寸選擇之外，分析師認(rèn)為通過采用8英寸屏幕，蘋果正在尋求降低iPad的價(jià)格區(qū)間。iPad 2售價(jià)是499美元。配備7英寸屏幕的Galaxy Tab最低售價(jià)為281美元，10.1英寸Tab的售價(jià)是379美元左右。

早些時(shí)候流傳的iPad迷你版，號(hào)稱是7寸rQTesmc

我不太確定蘋果是否正在追隨三星。我認(rèn)為，“幕”后面還有更多的考慮。 大約在一年以前，IHS iSuppli公司在報(bào)告中指出，蘋果在LCD技術(shù)上面的投資已超過30億美元。 據(jù)信接受這些投資的廠商是LG電子、夏普電子和東芝，而且這些投資的使用期限為兩年。今天的新聞報(bào)道稱，正在試用蘋果新型屏幕的公司包括韓國LG和臺(tái)灣友達(dá)光電。 去年，IHS iSuppli在報(bào)告中指出： 該協(xié)議將涉及供應(yīng)蘋果的視網(wǎng)膜顯示器。這種顯示器已被用于iPhone和iPad，采用了先進(jìn)的IPS和LTPS技術(shù)，通過使用比人眼能夠感知的尺寸更小的像素，在小型顯示器上實(shí)現(xiàn)極高的分辨率。 由于只有擁有IPS技術(shù)或者獲得了IPS許可的供應(yīng)商才能生產(chǎn)IPS LCD，因此很難匹配擁有產(chǎn)能或IPS許可的供應(yīng)商的需求。 分析師認(rèn)為，獲得更高的分辨率是蘋果從9英寸轉(zhuǎn)向8英寸屏幕的另一個(gè)考慮。屏幕越小，密度更高，也就是在更小的空間里集中更多的像素，因此可以呈現(xiàn)更加稅利的影像。較小的顯示屏在生產(chǎn)過程中也具有較高的產(chǎn)率。如果蘋果生產(chǎn)采用目前技術(shù)的8英寸屏幕，將既可以獲得更高的分辨率，又可以節(jié)省成本。 但蘋果以在產(chǎn)品中提供更加先進(jìn)的技術(shù)來超越對(duì)手而聞名，而不是漸進(jìn)式地改進(jìn)產(chǎn)品。所以我認(rèn)為，如果蘋果計(jì)劃采用較小的顯示器，那可能不只是顯示器變小了。與iPad目前使用的屏幕相比，它可能具有技術(shù)優(yōu)勢。 如果蘋果采用較新的技術(shù)，它所獲得的好處是，iPad仍可以享有溢價(jià)。如果蘋果想保持500美元的股價(jià)，維持溢價(jià)很有必要。而大量銷售低價(jià)iPad，可能進(jìn)一步擴(kuò)大蘋果在平板電腦市場的巨大份額。 你認(rèn)為蘋果想干什么？ 編譯：Luffy Liu 本文授權(quán)編譯自EBN Online，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 參考英文原文：Behind Apple's Alleged Move to Small Screens, by Barbara Jorgensen

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{pagination} Behind Apple's Alleged Move to Small Screens Barbara Jorgensen Several news outlets are reporting today that Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) is experimenting with smaller displays for an upcoming version of the iPad. The general consensus is that Apple, in an effort to compete with chief rival Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Korea: SEC), is broadening its tablet portfolio. Samsung offers its Galaxy Tab in 3 sizes: 7-inch, 8.9-inch, and 10.1-inch, at three different price points. Apple's iPad and iPad 2 have a 9.7-inch screen. Analysts also point out that Amazon's well-selling Kindle Fire, with a screen of 7 inches, is eating away at Apple's tablet market share. In addition to offering consumers more choice in tablet sizes, analysts believe that by moving to an 8-inch screen, Apple is seeking to lower the price range of the iPad. The iPad 2 sells for $499. A Galaxy Tab with a 7-inch screen sells for as low as $281; a 10.1-inch Tab is around $379. I'm not so sure that Apple is chasing Samsung. I think there's more going on behind the screen (pun intended). Almost a year ago to the day, IHS iSuppli reported that Apple had invested more than $3 billion in LCD technology. (See: Apple Defies Risk-Management Convention.) The recipients of this investment were thought to be LG Electronics Inc. (London: LGLD; Korea: 6657.KS) , Sharp Electronics Corp. , and Toshiba Corp. (Tokyo: 6502), and the investments would be used over a two-year period. Today's news reports say that the companies experimenting with Apple's new screen include Korea's LG and AU Optronics in China. Last year, IHS iSuppli reported: The agreements would involve the supply of Apple's retina display, used in the iPhone and iPad. The retina display employs the use of advanced in-plane switching (IPS) and low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) technology that provides extremely high resolutions in small displays by using pixels that are smaller than the human eye can perceive. Since IPS LCD production is limited to suppliers that own or have access to the IPS license, it is a challenge to match demand to suppliers that own production capacity and IPS licenses. Better resolution is another advantage analysts cite in Apple's move from 9-inch to 8-inch screens. Smaller displays are denser -- there are more pixels packed in to a smaller space -- so they do provide a crisp view. Smaller screens also produce higher yields in display manufacturing. If Apple were to produce the 8-inch screens using the same technology as it is now, it could achieve both better resolution and cost savings on the smaller screens. But Apple is known for leapfrogging its competition by offering significant technology advancements on its product versions rather than incremental improvements. So I think if Apple is committing to a smaller display, it will be more than just a smaller display. It will have technological advantages over the screens the iPad is using today. The added advantage to Apple, if it is using newer technology, is that the iPad can still command premium pricing. If Apple is going to maintain its share price of $500, preserving a premium price makes sense. Then again, volume sales of a lower-priced iPad could boost Apple's already-hefty share of the tablet market. What do you think Apple is trying to do?