Radiant pegged as iPad 3 backlight supplier

Taiwan-based Radiant Opto-Electronics is set to become the major supplier of backlight units for the iPad 3, according to a new report. Citing anonymous industry sources, DigiTimes reports that LG Display will be the largest supplier of LCD panels for the next-generation iPad, while Samsung and Sharp will also be counted on as LCD suppliers. The report claims that Samsung relies on Radiant for all its backlights for iPad 3 panels, while Radiant’s backlights account for over half the backlights needed by LG, and will also be used in some of Sharp’s panels, although Sharp also sources some of its panels from a Japan-based supplier. A report from late last week indicated that the iPad 3 will launch in early 2012 and will sport a high-resolution 2048 x 1536 display.