More Claims of No Retina iPad Mini Until Early 2014

ipad_mini_handTaiwan's Economic Daily News reports [Google translation] that shortages of Retina display panels for Apple's planned second-generation iPad mini have forced the company to push back its internal launch plans into early 2014. The company reportedly had been planning to launch the device during the fourth quarter of 2013, in time for the holiday shopping season.

The report also appears to suggest that Apple may offer both Retina and non-Retina versions of the second-generation iPad mini, although it is unclear just how price and feature differentiation between the models would work out.

Today's article is just the latest in a line of reports expressing uncertainty over Apple's iPad mini plans. Back in April, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had indicated that technical challenges with Retina displays would likely result in the updated iPad mini beginning to ship in the September-November timeframe, perhaps somewhat later than observers had been expecting at that time.

NPD DisplaySearch analysts have also been flip-flopping on their claims, beginning with a May report initially claiming that Apple would be releasing a non-Retina iPad mini update later this year with a Retina update to follow in early 2014, but within hours reporting on DisplaySearch's claim was revised to indicate that a Retina display would be included in both of those updates. But last month DisplaySearch returned to its original prediction, claiming that a thinner non-Retina iPad mini would arrive late this year with a Retina model following in early 2014.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...

Top Rated Comments

Mad Mac Maniac Avatar
144 months ago
Translation: Nobody has an effing clue....
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Alfred.Woodden Avatar
144 months ago
Thank god, now I can save some money.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jrswizzle Avatar
144 months ago
What would be the reason to purchase a non-retina mini 2 at this point?

Is there anyone who would pick one of these up over a highly discounted mini 1?

Retina is coming - I think it'd be a big mistake for Apple to release a non-retina version. If it takes a little extra time, so be it. Just release it when its ready and quit this "in-between, stepchild product" nonsense (looking at you iPad 3).
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
inlinevolvo Avatar
144 months ago
Hold the mini further from your eyes, instant retina!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T-Mac Avatar
144 months ago
So why would I buy a non-retina mini in late 2013 if reports indicate that a retina version shows up in early 2014?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
petrucci666 Avatar
144 months ago
Good thing the Surface came down!

Said no one ever.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)