A new report claims that despite all of the rumors of a smaller iPad with Retina Display being pushed back to 2014, Apple will indeed release a Retina iPad mini this year.
It's been quite a ride with what we can expect from the new iPad mini. We've been told it would ship with a Retina Display, only to hear later that the tablet wouldn't appear until sometime in 2014. If you've been waiting for an iPad mini with a Retina Display, a reliable source is now reporting that the tablet is on its way this year.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting, based on its own sources, that Apple will be releasing an iPad mini with Retina Display sometime in the fourth quarter of 2013. Apple has also reportedly enlisted its biggest rival, Samsung, to help manufacture the high-resolution displays. The publication says Apple told component makers that it had originally planned to use displays from Sharp and LG, but decided to add Samsung as a supplier to ensure it would have enough displays for the 7.9-inch tablet to meet demand.
The WSJ further claims that Apple is currently considering using different color back plates on the new iPad mini, instead of the Black & Slate/ White & Silver colors used in the current model. This move seems plausible, especially considering that Apple currently ships its latest iPod touch with multiple color back plate options.
The iPad mini has been rumored to be Apple's top selling iPad, but the lack of Retina Display has been the tablet's main criticism. The current iPad mini features a display that when launched was already a lower resolution than competing Android tablets such as the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD. We just saw Google release the new Nexus 7 with an even higher resolution display, and current Kindle Fire rumors indicate Amazon will be using an improved display and high-end specs in its next-generation tablets. If Apple wants to maintain its lead in the small sized tablet market, it would make sense for the company to do whatever it could to ensure that continues. A Retina Display iPad mini would certainly increase those odds and this report could put this issue to rest once and for all.
