A few weeks ago it was reported that Apple could release the Retina iPad mini in the third quarter of 2013. It’s possible that Apple is not only planning to launch a Retina iPad mini in the third quarter of 2013, but that a third refreshed model is also planned for early 2014, according to DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim.
Shim believes the third-generation iPad mini will also feature the Retina display as well as an updated processor. Apple made a similar move with the slightly-updated fourth-generation iPad when it was released not long after the third-generation model.
An earlier report by Shim suggested that consumers wouldn’t see any new iPad mini until at least 2014, but he has since released updated expectations. “We’re looking at Q1 2014,” Shim said in reference to the third-generation iPad mini. “The date’s in flux.”
According to Shim, Apple is still undecided about the screen technology it wants to use in the next-generation iPad mini. Shim is speculating that Apple will use the iPhone 5’s low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) display, but yield rates for this type of panel really decreases when the size of the screen is increased.
Image Credit: CapMac
