Sharp AQUOS Pad SHT21 Tablet, scheduled to be released by Japanese carrier KDDI in mid-December, will be equipped with the company's first 7-inch IGZO LCD (1280 x 800) display. Sharp's new Aquos Pad has a 1280 x 800 IGZO display and other technologies that the company says allow its 2,040mAh battery to last 2.5 times as long as existing tablets. The tablet weighs just 280g and it is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 CPU. Other features include pen input, 1GB RAM, 16GB built-in storage, microSDXC slot, Bluetooth 4.0, MHL, NFC, 3,460mAh battery and 4G LTE capability.



Sharp's IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide semiconductor) display technology can make smaller pixels than current screens, drawing less power and providing more touch accuracy. Sharp is a supplier for Apple and the screen technology has been linked to Apple's rumored 7-inch iPad mini, widely expected to be unveiled at a press event set for Tuesday.

Sharp has already showcased IGZO tablet displays in 7-inch, 10-inch, and 13-inch sizes at CEATEC show in Japan last month.