Apple reportedly had to postpone its iPad Mini with retina display release date to 2014, Reuters reports. Reuters cited people working for Apple's supply chain as source of the report.

As of the moment, Apple's supply chain was only starting production of the retina displays for the iPad Mini that its release may have to pass the holiday shopping season.

According to the sources from Apple's supply chain, the setback for the iPad Mini with retina display release can be attributed to Apple's delay in certification panel - LG Display Co Ltd, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Sharp Corp - all vying to manufacture the panels for the iPad Mini's retina display.

As promised by Apple, "the Retina display on iPad makes everything look crisp and lifelike. Text is razor sharp. Colours are vibrant. Photos and videos are rich with detail. All thanks to its 3.1 million pixels - a million more pixels than an HDTV."

Apple loyalists were already geared up by the promise of an iPad Mini with retina display that if Apple "don't put in retina ... there will be howls," remarked Frank Gillet, an analyst working for Forrester.

According to Apple's supply chain insiders, the company was left with two choices - either they will have a full launch of the iPad Mini with retina display by 2014; or they proceed with the rumoured launch on Oct 25, 2013 BUT with only limited quantities just in time for the holidays.

Another setback that hindered Apple's launch of the device was Apple's strict requirement for the suppliers to reduce manufacturing costs. If this can be attained, Apple is targeted to launch a more affordable iPad Mini with retina display.

As how Arthur Liao, analyst for Fubon Securities in Taipei put it, "Right now the iPad Mini is more expensive than everyone else in the 7- to 8-inch tablet segment. If it could reduce its price by even just $50, it would appeal to more consumers."

There had been pressure for Apple to lower their price for the device because of a 32. 5 per cent decrease in the iPad's market share during the second quarter. Samsung Galaxy series, on the other hand, increased to 62.6 per cent (data from IDC).

Comparing to Amazon's new 7-inch Kindle Fire priced at $229 for 16GB WiFi-only models and Google's second-generation Nexus 7 with the same screen size and storage capacity, consumers tend to lean away from Apple's more expensive devices.