Sharp’s screen announcement fuels Apple iPhone 5 rumors
Sharp Corp. on Thursday added to speculation on the release date of the sixth-generation iPhone when the company’s new president, Takashi Okuda, said it would start shipping new display screens this month.
Sharp manufactures iPhone parts, along with LG and Japan Display, and the company is rumored to be implementing new “in-cell” touchscreen technology that eliminates the need for a double-layered screen.
“Shipments will start in August,” Okuda told reporters at a news conference, according to a Reuters report.
The shipment date lends support to rumors that Apple’s product launch, scheduled for Sept. 12, will debut the highly anticipated iPhone 5.
Reuters also reported that the screens are 4 inches long, or 30% bigger than the screens on previous iPhones.
The news conference took place as Sharp announced bleak quarterly earnings. The Osaka, Japan-based company reported losses of $1.8 billion in its third quarter, and announced it will cut 5,000 jobs.
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