iPad Mini 2 Release Date Nears as LG to Start Production of Retina Display in June/July?
It seems that Apple's iPad Mini 2 will be released soon as rumours claimed that LG will commence production of in June or July.
Apple will start up production on the Retina Display version of the iPad mini in June or July, according to NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim. He also said the displays for the new iPad mini will come from LG and not Samsung.
"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," Mr. Shim told CNET.
He said the new model will sport a 2048 x 1536 resolution 7.9-inch display, which is on par with the iPhone 5′s resolution. That also puts the display at the high end of what our eye can discern for resolution improvements.
"We're going to start to see a bunch of tablets with a pixel density over 300," he said. "At a certain point it will be hard to discern that improved image quality."
If so, a June production window would accommodate a September Retina Display iPad mini product launch, which probably aligns with Apple CEO Tim Cook's comment that there won't be any big product announcements until fall.
According to reports, iPad Mini 2 will feature a screen with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. This is almost four times the resolution of the present iPad Mini and is equal to the fourth generation iPad which was released along with the iPad Mini last year. AU Optronics has been rumoured to be making displays for the iPad Mini 2.
Other specs include a more powerful dual core A7 processor and a 7.9 inch screen. It will also feature a 10-hour battery life, a FaceTime HD camera, and an iSight camera with 1080 pixels HD video recording. Apple is also trying to reduce the thickness of the iPad Mini 2 by using the Sharp's IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) technology in its screens.
Apple's CEO Tim Cook recently confirmed that no new Apple products will be released before fall 2013. However, the sudden disappearance of previous iPads tells consumers otherwise.
According to reports, iPad 5 is set for release in October; while the iPad Mini 2 will be released in Christmas. Apple may have decided to make a solo launch for both tablets due to the popularity of iPad Mini. The device was well-received by consumers in many parts of the world.
However, the Cupertino-based company remained tight-lipped on the rumours and on its plans for this year.