Ever since Apple first debuted its so-called “Retina” displays, smartphone and tablet manufacturers have been leapfrogging each other to hit various firsts — either in terms of absolute resolution (1080p, 1440p, 4K) or by nailing ever-higher display densities (measured in pixels per square inch, or PPI). Sharp is now the latest company to break the record, with an IGZO 4.1-inch LCD capable of a massive 2560×1600 resolution — 736 PPI — or about six times more pixels than the similarly sized iPhone 5S display. Samsung, meanwhile, is reportedly working on a 5.9-inch screen that can hit 747 PPI, but instead of putting these screens into mobile devices where they serve absolutely no function, we’d like to propose companies instead focus on building the ultra-low latency displays that are needed for high resolution VR equipment.
The Retina debate is over: Everybody wins!
When Apple announced the iPhone 4’s Retina display, there was some dispute over whether or not that term was deserved. What eventually emerged is that Steve Jobs’ marketing wasbasically accurate. The iPhone 4 had no visible pixels if you were a regular Joe with 20/20 vision or worse. Chuck Yeager, on the other hand — the first pilot to travel faster than the speed of sound — could still see pixels.
Raymond Soneira argued that the term “Retina display” wasn’t very accurate because to qualify as a True Retina Display, “a screen needs about 652 PPI at 10.5 inches, or 572 PPI at 12 inches.” What that means, in essence, is that no known human can distinguish the pixels on the next generation of phones at current display sizes, given current phone use patterns. Unless you have T. Rex arms, you’re going to hold your phone at least 10-12 inches from your face.
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