14 DAY TRIAL // In a new campaign aimed at steering away attention from the Samsung Galaxy S4, Apple says “only iPhone has the Retina display.”
On its official website, Apple has launched a new advertising campaign attempting to reignite interest in its iPhone 5 handset, as an answer to Samsung’s Galaxy S4 launch.
Among the key benefits touted by the Cupertino giant is the crisp Retina display.
“The Retina display on iPhone ushered in the era of super-high-resolution displays. Its pixel density is so high, your eye can’t distinguish individual pixels,” says Apple.
“The images and words are amazingly vivid and crisp. Everything just looks so real. In fact, once you see a Retina display, you’re never satisfied with anything less. Yet it remains a feature found only on iPhone and other Apple products,” the company adds.
Apple isn’t lying when it says the Retina display can only be found on its products, but that’s only half the story.
You see, Retina display is but a mere marketing term. Samsung itself has a similar display on its Galaxy S4 handset. In fact, Samsung’s 5-inch display has both a higher resolution and a higher pixel count (density).
Here’s how the two stack up:
Samsung Galaxy S4 display: 5-inch Super AMOLED; 1920×1080 pixels; 441 ppi (pixels per inch);
iPhone 5: 4.0-inch Retina Display; 1136×640 pixels (resolution) ; 326 ppi (pixels per inch).
Nokia Lumia 920 also has a higher pixel count than Apple's iPhone 5, and so does the Blackberry Z10. Sony has a couple of its own, and HTC hasn't been late to the pixel frenzy either.
It is also true that the technologies are different, and display experts say Apple’s offers a more faithful rendition of reality, whereas Samsung’s screens artificially boost colors and contrast to make it look better.
But whoever may be telling the truth, Apple is right about one thing: “…once you see a Retina display, you’re never satisfied with anything less.” Which can be interpreted as the company’s confirmation that the iPad mini 2 is next in line for the increased pixel density.