14 DAY TRIAL // Industry sources cited by DigiTimes say LG is at fault for the delayed shipments of 27-inch iMacs. The lamination process of the screens is proving difficult to cope with in high numbers, according to these people.
The trade publication with ties to Apple’s supply chain reports that the 27-inch iMac is experiencing shipment delays “due to mass production issues from Apple's main iMac panel supplier LG Display,” citing the usual (anonymous) industry sources.
The Korean panel supplier has been facing problems with the full lamination process which makes the iMac’s display brilliant yet less reflective than the previous-generation screens.
Because of the troubles encountered in mass production, Apple has been forced to slow down shipments of the 27-inch iMac to 100,000 units a month, according to the sources.
Still, LG Display is said to remain a top supplier for Apple’s high-end computers as the Korean company “has secured strong yields for Apple's new 21.5-inch model, which currently has reached monthly shipments of 300,000-400,000 units,” the same insiders noted.
Apple still has faith in LG, apparently. The sources also said that the company’s yield rates in producing the displays should improve in February.
Currently Apple quotes a 3-4-week shipping estimate for the high-end 27” iMac models.
Apple has confirmed a while ago that its new iMac line (Late 2012) featured a reengineered display that reduced glare by 75 percent.
There’s more. The LCD now sits right up against the glass, which makes it even tougher to produce these screens at high rates.
The screen also uses a technology called in-plane switching (IPS) which gives users an excellent color from almost any angle.
Finally, every iMac display is color-calibrated individually. Apple reportedly uses spectroradiometers to match color standards imposed by creatives around the world.