Samsung to bring PenTile display technology to Galaxy Tab range

Samsung has teamed up with technology firm Nouvoyance in a move to bring ultra-high resolution PenTile RGBW technology to its range of tablet devices.

A 10.1in WQXGA display boasts a pixel density of 300dpi and a resolution of 2,560x1,600, which Samsung claims will be the highest screen quality in tablets to date.

The PenTile RGBW display is capable of a resolution that is a third higher than traditional RGB stripes even though it uses the same number of subpixels, Nouvoyance explained.

"This is done by adding a white subpixel to the RGB mix that is actually a clear area in the LCD with no colour filter material," Nouvyance said on its site.

"Therefore, nearly all of the light is transmitted through the white subpixel [and] PenTile's software algorithms capitalise on this efficiency to create sharp images and brighter displays."

An outdoor brightness mode will also be included which allows for better screen visibility in bright ambient light.

Samsung explained that the PenTile technology is suitable for tablets as the devices are mainly used for viewing rich-colored images such as HD movies, documents and web browsing. The manufacturer also touted the energy efficiency of PenTile.

"Samsung's PenTile is the only display technology that operates at 40 per cent less power, yet provides twice that of Full HD-viewing performance compared to legacy RGB stripe LCDs," said Sungtae Shin, senior vice president of Samsung.

Samsung expects to make PenTile commercially available in its tablet later this year, so it is unlikely to be seen in the first generation Galaxy Tab 10.1.

It appears that Samsung is trying to get the jump on Apple when it comes to innovation in the tablet space. Apple was expected to ship the iPad 2 with its acclaimed Retina display, but it is believed that manufacturing challenges curtailed this plan.

As it stands, the 9.7in LED-backlit glossy wide screen on the iPad 2 comes with a resolution of 1,024x768 and is capable of displaying 132ppi. According to our calculations, Samsung's PenTile 10.1in display will be capable of producing 298.9ppi, and thus have a greater pixel density.

However, it will be interesting to see how Apple responds when it releases its third-generation iPad next year.