Just last week it was reported that the next-generation iPad mini wouldn’t be released until 2014 at the earliest, to the chagrin of Apple users everywhere. However, a new report today suggests that Apple could be releasing two versions of the iPad mini, one to be released later this year with minor updates, and a Retina display model to launch in 2014.
It has been suspected as of late that Apple has been considering only one updated iPad mini update, though they’ve reportedly been struggling with the technical aspects of including a Retina display in the 7.9-inch screen, roughly 2 inches smaller than the current and regular-sized 9.7-inch iPad with Retina display. The information has been reported by Apple Insider via DigiTimes, a South Korea-based tech publication with only a so-so record of reporting accurate supply chaine information.
The difference in size poses issues in terms of pixels and aspect ratio. Should Apple make an attempt at an iPad mini with Retina display in 2014, they would need to figure away to pack 3.1 million pixels into the smaller display.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted a similar move by the Cupertino-based electronics giant back in April when he forecasted that Apple could hit a number of production snags in attempting a Retina display for the mini tablet. The solution he offered, though, came in the form of “a more affordable iPad mini in the interim to help boost sales and fend off low-priced tablet competitors. He sees a low-cost iPad mini being priced between $199 and $249.” The current iPad mini goes for $349 with 16GB of data, and the latest report suggesting minor upgrades isn’t likely to reduce the price much.
The report from Apple Insider also alludes to a full-sized, fifth-generation iPad update likely to come in the form of “thin-film touch screen technology” to allegedly reduce the weight of the flagship tablet by up to 30%. This coincides with rumors that Apple is trying to lighten its iPad through a slimmer bezel and airier battery courtesy of employing only one LED tube to back-light the display instead of the current-generation’s two.
[Image via Apple.com]
