iPad Mini 2 with Retina: 3 Reasons to Skip the Rumoured September 2013 Release Date
Production of the iPad Mini 2 with Retina will reportedly commence in June, setting off fresh speculations that the second-gen 7.9-inch tablet from Apple is primed for a September 2013 release date.
According to NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim, LG Display is all set to work on the display component of the iPad Mini by June or July and the South Korean firm's main responsibility is providing the small tablet's Retina screen.
Thanks to LG, by the time the iPad Mini 2 hits store shelves worldwide later this year, consumers will marvel on the slate's new 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution, effectively doubling the first edition's relatively anaemic rendition.
So is it time to jump into the Mini 2 during the holiday season? Some experts believe waiting a few more months would pay off big time for serious tablet buyers and here are the reasons why.
The iPad Mini 3 is coming and it promises to be a mighty upgrade
While Mr Shim is convinced that finally Apple will provide Retina for the iPad Mini 2 and the slate will likely make a fall debut this year, he indicated too that a quick refresh is coming too a few moths after.
"We see two refreshes coming. One in the second half of this year, then one in Q1 of 2014 ... The Q1 device will have a Retina display plus an updated processor," the analyst was reported by BGR News as saying.
His statement hinted that two iPad Minis are scheduled for rollout within a six-month stretch and both will satisfy consumers' wish list of owning a Retina-laced iPad Mini. However, it is the latter that offers more premiums - powered by a CPU with higher capabilities than its predecessor. The likelihood is also high that the iPad Mini 3 will carry better overall specs.
The iPad Mini 3 will run smoothly on iOS 7
As a gadget programmed to fully-function next year, like the iPhone 6, the Mini 3 is expected to benefit from a well-adjusted iOS 7, which Apple is expected to unleash on June. The release will likely be marked by inevitable hiccups in the months after, which Apple engineers will dutifully fix.
By the time the Mini 3 is pushed out in early 2014, most if not all of the iOS 7 creases would have been ironed out, leaving the small tablet relatively trouble-free.
The iPad Mini 3 is more powerful with the same price tag
Apple traditionally sells its new products bearing the same price tags of the previous generations. Chances are the Mini 3 will initially retail at $US329, which was the introductory price of the original iPad Mini with basic configuration. In effect, consumers are paying the same price for a smaller iPad that just acquired significant boosts in capabilities.
And there is a bonus - old iPad Minis, including the iPad Mini 2, will probably get sizeable discounts, which Apple implements to keep its old inventory moving. So by the time Mini 3 arrives, consumers have a wider choice of small tablets to choose from that meet specs and pricing requirements.