Apple has reportedly been forced to delay the release of the iPad mini with Retina Display until 2014, according to a new report.
When Apple announced the 7.9-inch iPad mini, the slate came with a significantly higher price tag compared to similar 7-inch Android tablets, even some with better specs and higher-resolution displays. Apple faced criticism for the mini's $329 entry-level price, but that did not have any impact on sales of the tablet. Apple has never revealed the breakdown between sales of the iPad and iPad mini, but many reports claim the mini version outsells the larger tablet.
One of the major criticisms Apple faced was that the iPad mini did not ship with the company's HD Retina Display. Instead, the smaller tablet features a 7.9-inch 1,024 x 768 resolution display with a pixel density of 163 pixels per inch (ppi). Amazon's Kindle Fire HD and Google's Nexus 7, meanwhile, trump the iPad mini and feature 7-inch 1280 x 800 resolution displays at 216 ppi. The Kindle Fire HD currently retails for $169, while the Nexus 7 can is available for purchase for as low as $159.00.
Consequently, some Apple fans held off on purchasing the iPad mini and decided to wait for the company to release an updated model with a Retina Display. The tablet was expected to make its debut sometime this fall, but a new report claims that Apple had to delay the tablet until 2014.
Economic Daily News now reports that Apple had to push back the launch of the iPad mini with Retina Display until early 2014. The publication claims the delay is due to shortages of Retina Display panels for the second-generation iPad mini. The site further bolsters previous reports alleging that Apple had planned to launch the new mini alongside the iPad 5 during the fourth quarter of 2013, just in time for the holiday season.
It is always best to take these kinds of reports with a huge grain of salt, especially when it pertains to the ultra-secretive Apple. Analysts and rumors have been going back and forth on when an iPad mini with Retina Display would launch ever since the first-generation mini launched. Until Apple makes an official announcement, however, the actual launch is anyone's guess.
