An iPad Mini 2 with Retina touchdown should not be expected in the final half of 2013, a new report said, adding that Apple appears to be maneuvering to focus consumers' attention on the overhauled iPad 5.

It is no secret that the first iPad Mini caused a major decline in the sales performance of its bigger brother - the 9.7-inch iPad 4 that came with a 2048 x 1536 Retina resolution. Despite being underpowered, the Mini hogged the spotlight since its October 2012 launch and contributed 20 million sales to Apple's tablet thrust by the end of last year.

The fourth-generation iOS 6 tablet, on the other hand, went almost unnoticed and Apple executives, according to DigiTimes, are wary that history would repeat itself in this year's launch.

"The sources revealed that Apple has had an internal debate on whether to use Retina display technology in its next-generation iPad Mini because it is afraid the device may take away sales from the iPad," the same report said.

The publication suggests too that even if the Mini 2 would get unveiled in March 2014, as claimed in a latest note by Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities, Retina display panel would not be part of the deal if only to protect its original flagship tablet.

Apple is upbeat that with the component upgrades to be deployed with the iPad 5 plus "a slimmer bezel design and GF2 touch screen technology," its bigger tablet will steal back much of the thunder that the Mini took away.

Per persistent rumours, fuelled largely by numerous analysts' projections, the fifth large-screen iPad build will keep its original screen size but will shed considerable weight and width.

Apple's redesign of the iPad 5 "will make it thinner and lighter," DigiTimes said.

Should Mr Kuo's forecast hit it right, the world with get to see the iOS 7-powered iPad 5 in early September, probably within the first week of the month. It is likely to debut with the low-cost iPhone Lite then to be followed in the final week of the same month by the iPhone 5S.