In a world overrun by talk of tablets and smartphones, news of new televisions has largely been nonexistent. In part, this is due to the fact that many TV manufacturers are trying to break into the tablet scene and also due to the lack of television innovation happening lately. One company, Sharp, hasn’t lost sight of America’s favorite pastime though. Originally reported by The Verge, Sharp is currently working on new panel technology that might provide a glimpse into the future of television and, yes, tablets.

So what’s so special about the panels that Sharp is currently building? Sharp is working on the first ever semiconductors that have indium gallium zinc oxide. These semiconductors will make future Sharp LCD panels much thinner. In addition, these new panels will be much more energy efficient, which will appeal to many consumers who are seeking to better the environment.

Where The New Technology Will Be Used

As mentioned, the new Sharp LCD panels will likely be added to Sharp television in the future, but that’s not the only use for these new screens. The Verge hinted that Sharp might be selling this technology to Apple, though these rumors have not yet been confirmed. The Japanese Sharp plant that is currently working on this project is creating smaller screens, though, and this could certainly mean that tablets are the focus for the new Sharp project.

While Sharp has announced that the company is working on the new indium gallium zinc oxide LCD screens, there’s no word yet if the company will team up with any specific tablet manufacturers. It would certainly make sense for Apple to snatch up this technology, but we’ll have to wait and see if Apple is the partner that Sharp has in mind. It will also be interesting to see how the new LCD screens turn out, and whether or not Sharp is successful in creating the world’s thinnest LCD screens.

The Future of Tablets and Televisions

It’s somewhat amazing to note how quickly news of a company’s current projects spreads. Sharp has been working on this new technology for some time now, though the general tech press has just learned about the project. Instantly, the new LCD screens became big news and lots of speculations are flying regarding the use of the new screens. Will Apple snatch up this technology first or will Sharp do something else with it? Perhaps Sharp will get into the tablet market? Regardless of how these screens are used in the future, it’s clear that televisions and tablets are about to get a much-needed facelift.

Tablets are still on the thick side while televisions can be even thinner than they are right now – hard to imagine, I know, but possible all the same. Of course, this news means that consumers who like to keep up with tech trends will be scrambling to buy the latest thin tablet or switch out that older TV for a new, thinner, one, but this is a crazy race to get caught up in! Right now, the technology that Sharp is working on isn’t available for purchase, but you can bet news of new tablets or televisions will be popping up throughout the next few months.