Mass Production of Retina Displays for iPad Mini Expected to Start in June or July

Following a somewhat confusing report earlier this week in which NPD DisplaySearch analysts first indicated that a Retina iPad mini would not appear until the first quarter of 2014 before quickly issuing a correction stating that a third quarter refresh would bring the Retina display to the line, the firm has now told CNET that production on those Retina display panels should begin in June or July.

ipad_mini_display
The timing would not be a tremendous surprise given that the firm just said that the device should begin shipping in the July-September quarter, although other sources have indicated that it may not appear until somewhat later in the year. DisplaySearch's Richard Shim also claims that current iPad mini display supplier LG Display will maintain a prominent role in production of the new Retina displays, and that Samsung will remain out of the display supply picture.

"We should see the start of mass production of the panels in June or July," said Richard Shim, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch.

LG Display will be one of the major manufacturers of the display, he said, adding that Samsung is not a supplier for the Mini.

"Samsung is currently not in the iPad Mini and they won't be in the next generation. LGD is becoming a much bigger supplier than before," he said.

LG is reportedly the main supplier for display panels in the current iPad mini, with AU Optronics also responsible for a significant portion of the supply.

Also unsurprising is Shim's claim that the Retina iPad mini will adopt the same 2048 x 1536 resolution seen on the full-size iPad's Retina display, albeit at a higher pixel density to fit the iPad mini's smaller physical size. Maintaining consistent resolution across the iPad lineup allows developers to target a single screen size with their apps, simplifying their work.

On last month's earnings conference call, Apple CEO Tim Cook appeared to specifically temper new product expectations for the next several months, mentioning that Apple had a number of great products coming "in the fall and across all of 2014."

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

Top Rated Comments

Nova Sensei Avatar
142 months ago
With the mini going to match the resolution of the bigger iPad; think we might see another resolution increase on the bigger one?

Otherwise...why even get the big iPad? It's more expensive and same screen resolution and less pixel density.

Why do people have 60" tv's? 22" is same resolution....
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jhead95 Avatar
142 months ago
We didn't need an analyst to give us this news. It was a given.

Yeh, except it wasn't and still isn't.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jayse Avatar
142 months ago
We didn't need an analyst to give us this news. It was a given.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fullauto Avatar
142 months ago
1) You can't perceive the difference without holding it three inches from your face

That's what she said ;)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Daze & Confuse Avatar
142 months ago
someone remind me the root of the word "analyst"

Ana. :p

(It has several meanings - Up, Back, Again, Excessive. I suspect that none are the answer you were hoping for....)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacDarcy Avatar
142 months ago
People believe analysts/rumors/"reports" when they want it to be true.

I want it too, but I see near zero chance of this happening in 2013 at all, much less within the next few months:

Screen power consumption
Screen thickness
Screen weight
GPU performance
GPU power consumption
Battery capacity
Battery thickness
Battery weight
Cost and margins and end price
Yields and supply

The mini already sells well, and to change it to retina, all of the above must be addressed--without making it noticeably heavier/thicker, or you lose much of what makes the mini great. The mini (unlike the full 10" iPad) is already part of Apple's newer generation of lighter batteries/hardware. There are limits to how fast you can squeeze blood from that stone. Also remember the newest iMacs: yields were low, so they would have sold more iMacs total if they'd waited to release them!

Think 2014 for a retina mini. On the bright side: also think faster mini this year, and lighter 10" iPad this year.

Gimme a break. If Apple can put a retina screen on the iPhone with good battery life, they certainly can manage to do it with the mini.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...