The projected release date for the iPad Mini 2 seems to be eternally flip-flopping and this week the new forecast points to a late 2013 debut, according to reports by a reputable U.S. publication.

KGI Securities has asserted last week that the Mini 2, with or without Retina, will not make a landing until March 2014 but that was contradicted by a new claim coming from the Wall Street Journal.

Volume production of the small iOS 7 tablet has already commenced and the cause of delays has been resolved with the re-entry of Samsung as one of the Retina display panel suppliers, joining Sharp and LG.

So consumers can expect the Mini 2 to start selling anytime in Q4 2013 and with Retina screen resolution at that. The list below discusses the three features that will be included with the whole compact package.

A 2048 x 1538 Retina screen resolution

With Samsung, coming to Apple's rescue, per the WSJ report, the Mini 2 is all ready to collide head-on with the new Nexus 7 that Google has uncloaked. It was feared before that the second Mini will have to settle with the same 1024 x 768 resolution seen in the first edition. It would have been a lopsided match in favour of the stock Android slate.

Now an interesting tablet dogfight is brewing as immersive screen rendering is offered by the two arch-rivals plus the spectacle of pitting the killer features that both the iOS 7 and Jelly Bean 4.3 have promised to deliver.

Rainbow options for the iPad Mini 2 shell

Apple is considering colourful housing for the second-generation Mini to make it hotter,definitely adding to the classic appeal of the black and white shell that wraps the back portion of the device, breaking at the four edges and painting again the thin margin surrounding the screen.

This would be a very cool feature that Apple fans would definitely go for, likely giving rival Android tablet makers a new reason to quake for. But if remains to be seen if this supposed Apple plan would pan out.

Slightly higher price tag

The first iPad Mini sold in big numbers at its debut and remains a major tablet attraction despite retailing at $330 as starting price. For the second take, Apple is likely to opt for a minor price hike and the justification for that is the inclusion of Retina to the mix plus some more bump ups like a faster processor and of course the killer features generously wrapped with the iOS 7.

The safest guess for a Mini 2 price range is between $350 and $400, no more. The additional dollars, however, should not deter the flood of buyers that will rush to get the iPad Mini 2 on its release date, which should take place November 2013 at the earliest or exactly 12 months after the first Mini launch.