Samsung today attempted to explain why they have chosen to fit its iPad rival with an LCD instead of its vaunted AMOLED technology, as featured on its Galaxy S smartphones. On the launch of Apple’s super high-resolution Retina Display, which is built using very similar structural technology to Samsung’s Super TFT LCDs, Samsung was quick to criticize Apple's technological breakthrough in display resolution. Among Samsung's claims at the time was that an AMOLED display uses 30 percent less power than an equivalent LCD-based display.
However, in a video conference today at IFA, Samsung argued that it chose Super TFT for the Galaxy Tab because it used less power than an equivalent 7-inch AMOLED display, while also citing lower manufacturing costs for the decision to use Super TFT instead of AMOLED as originally speculated. While AMOLED offers better color reproduction and contrast over typical LCD panels, it's less effective in outdoor situations. Super TFT screens are built using very similar technology as used in the iPad’s IPS LCD display. Like IPS, Super TFT offers wider viewing angles, a wide color gamut and a better outdoor viewing experience than regular AMOLED, although Super AMOLED addresses outdoor viewing.
The news that Samsung has opted out of using AMOLED for its Galaxy Tab follows recent news that HTC is dropping Samsung’s AMOLED display technology in favor of Sony produced Super TFT panels. However, its choice was dictated more by Samsung's decision to use all its Super AMOLED screens for the Galaxy S and shutting out most everyone else.
