Samsung to unveil 10.1-inch tablet display with 2,560x1,600 resolution

Apple has touted its Retina Display tech for its latest iPhone, but it hasn't brought it to the iPad -- yet. Samsung is ready to show off a new tablet-size LCD that has the resolution necessary to be given the Retina Display label, though it's unclear whether the display would be used by Apple or Samsung itself.

The 2,560x1,600, 10.1-inch LCD will be unveiled at an industry conference next week. That resolution (which equates to 300dpi) goes far beyond the 1,024x768 resolution of the current iPad as well as past the 1,920x1,080 needed to display 1080p video. Samsung also claims that it uses substantially less power, which could help boost a device's battery life.

Before iPad fanboys get too excited, however, there does appear to be one major sticking point with the LCD that Apple won't be keen about. Samsung is using its PenTile technology to lay out subpixels, which has already been used in devices like the Nexus One Android phone. But Apple prefers panels that use in-plane switching (IPS) technology, meaning that this probably won't be the screen used whenever a Retina Display iPad is finally released.

That won't stop Samsung from offering the display to other tablet makers, or to use it for its own Android-based slates. The company says the LCD will be commercially available toward the end of the year, so we'll see if it winds up in any new tablets available for the holiday shopping season.

[Via TUAW]