More Claims of No Retina iPad Mini Until Early 2014

[Bchagey]

For me, it's the quality of the touch sensors that I like over a high res screen. The iPad mini screen is good. Not retina, but good. I would choose high quality touch sensors from Apple products over any other company or tablet. "It works like magic"

Nothing I hate more than having to press the screen multiple times on a low end tablet that isn't picking up my touch! Can I get an amen.

 

[happyslayer]

I've been running the iPad mini since the first week it was released--sold my iPad3 to get it. I have really loved it. Personally, with the smaller screen, I see no reason to even bother with a retina display on it. Not that I wouldn't buy one, I suppose But it really seems kind of pointless at the moment. I've not really missed the retinal screen and I read comics and kindle books on it all the time. JMO.

 

[tasset]

I am mostly ok with the non-retina Mini's screen that I have EXCEPT for one superficial thing: can anyone explain why the screen is darker on the white version than the black? We have one of each and trust me it is, when you hold it side by side. I want the screen when off to be about as black as the bezel, and annoyingly it reminds of the 3GS LCD when off. Why is this?

 

[PracticalMac]

What would be the reason to purchase a non-retina mini 2 at this point?

Is there anyone who would pick one of these up over a highly discounted mini 1?

Retina is coming - I think it'd be a big mistake for Apple to release a non-retina version. If it takes a little extra time, so be it. Just release it when its ready and quit this "in-between, stepchild product" nonsense (looking at you iPad 3).

Waiting for BIG upgrades hurt many a company.
New products, even incremental ones, bring attention.

 

[0029937]

I am mostly ok with the non-retina Mini's screen that I have EXCEPT for one superficial thing: can anyone explain why the screen is darker on the white version than the black? We have one of each and trust me it is, when you hold it side by side. I want the screen when off to be about as black as the bezel, and annoyingly it reminds of the 3GS LCD when off. Why is this?

Haha first world problems.

 

[rGiskard]

i'm probably the only person on the planet who never purchased an iPad and been waiting for the Retina iPad mini for a while now.......

Same here. But if Apple sits on the pot too long, I'll buy a Nexus and be done with it.

A Retina display isn't bleeding edge anymore, this is just a business decision for Apple, and a very shortsighted one at that. They are just milking the existing products for fear they won't be able to come up with anything new.

 

[prowlmedia]

I reckon there will be a retina mini this year. No I don't. Yes I do.

I am a business analyst. Now give me my $250K a year.

 

[tasset]

Haha first world problems.

Ha, yes I am aware of that. Just curious as to whether the screens are actually different because of something technical like light leaks, or if this is yet more Apple intentional work on product differentiation when the time for a retina mini does come.

 

[ctdonath]

What would be the reason to purchase a non-retina mini 2 at this point?

Maybe the usual slate of: faster processor, more memory, more storage, longer battery life.

Remember, the mini 1 is functionally an iPad 2, which is at the bottom of tolerable capability/capacity and is the next tablet slated for obsolescence.

As for non-retina, pixels on the mini are smaller than the iPad 1&2 so it's heading toward retina territory anyway. To go full retina, has to shrink the already crammed iPad 3&4 pixel density into a smaller space (or else, in a very ugly move, create yet another "standard" screen dimensions), pushing far into retina density without any discernible benefit beyond software compatibility. Someday it will be the norm, but for the next few months at least there isn't much benefit for to make that leap; the cost/benefit ratio just doesn't compel the move.

The only reason I can note for a retina iPad Mini at this point is competition from others not so constrained to particular screen dimensions, selling on specs & price (and cutting corners to get there) alone without the walled garden imposing certain sensible limits.

 

[Skika]

Hold the mini further from your eyes, instant retina!

This is what Mini owners tell themselves

 

[lolkthxbai]

Why so hard for Apple to find companies to make the Retina screen?

Whats different then a Kindle HD panel, something roughly the same size.

I think it has to do with calibration and quality inspection. They're very anal about that kind of stuff. I read an article about a while back where they compared the iPhone 5 display and the Galaxy 3/4 display and saw how finely tuned the colors were on the iPhone 5 display versus how "cartoony" the same image looked on the galaxy's display.

While I appreciate Apple's dedication to make an amazing product, it also complicates things. I would think its complicated enough already being the first time they manufacture a retina display at that size. Typically, yields and manufacturing improve after the first production.

Apple could just bump up the specs of the iPad mini and release it this holiday season without a retina display but then I'm not sure how customers would react if they release a new iPad mini a couple months later in the spring.

This is iPad 3 all over again.

 

[ALMF]

Meh

I have a mini and the whole retina thing is not a concern for me. If they do, they do. If they dont, they dont.

I play tons of games and use a whole lot of apps and have never had performance issues either.

 

[DotCom2]

Why so hard for Apple to find companies to make the Retina screen?

Whats different then a Kindle HD panel, something roughly the same size.

I don't think the problem is finding a Co. that can make these...it's finding a Co. that can produce massive quantities in a timely manner.

 

[zedsdead]

These iPad Mini no retina rumors are gaining traction. Something is likely up with the process.

Apple will at the very least update the current Mini with an A6 processor, and maybe a cheaper price point.

 

[carlgo]

So, they can make retina panels in three other sizes, both bigger and smaller, by the millions, but can't make this particular size?

 

[Defender2010]

I am mostly ok with the non-retina Mini's screen that I have EXCEPT for one superficial thing: can anyone explain why the screen is darker on the white version than the black? We have one of each and trust me it is, when you hold it side by side. I want the screen when off to be about as black as the bezel, and annoyingly it reminds of the 3GS LCD when off. Why is this?

Do you mean when the display is turned off? IF you mean when it is in operation, there are variances between all LCDs to some degree.

 

[Luscious]

They'll upgrade the CPU and RAM
for rev 2 in the fall so it better runs iOS 7 and hold off on a retina mini until 2014. They will then offer the rev 2's at a discount.

 

[macs4nw]

A quick reminder that no matter how well companies like APPLE plan ahead, in the end they are totally at the mercy of the supply chain. There's no doubt they would have loved to have them shipping during the holiday quarter.

 

[currentinterest]

Why so hard for Apple to find companies to make the Retina screen?

Whats different then a Kindle HD panel, something roughly the same size.

Apple needs millions more of them and I believe the touch technology embedded either in or on the LCD is quite different.

 

[576316]

Meh, I'm happy to wait that. Got current gen at Christmas and I'm keen to get a full year out of it. But I hope they don't have two models. Just stick to current pricing and make it Retina.

 

[gixxerfool]

i'm probably the only person on the planet who never purchased an iPad and been waiting for the Retina iPad mini for a while now.......

Count me among those as well.

 

[pezj]

Sad day

 

[grassfeeder]

i'm probably the only person on the planet who never purchased an iPad and been waiting for the Retina iPad mini for a while now.......

right there with ya!

 

[champ01]

So they're planning on letting the iPad Mini go a year and a half without an update?

Given it's in such a competitive market, this seems like a poor business choice to me... I'd say ship the best gen 2 you can this year and then put off retina until gen 3 in summer/fall of next year.

So bring crap on the market just to keep the market flowing?

Have you looked outside lately?

exactly...we're living on a dumpster planet already. Should we build more junk just to make more profits?

 

[flux73]

So they're planning on letting the iPad Mini go a year and a half without an update?

Given it's in such a competitive market, this seems like a poor business choice to me... I'd say ship the best gen 2 you can this year and then put off retina until gen 3 in summer/fall of next year.

Um, none of the reports claim that this was a "plan" or a "choice".

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Why so hard for Apple to find companies to make the Retina screen?

Whats different then a Kindle HD panel, something roughly the same size.

Probably not so simply when you need to squeeze it into a certain form factor with a certain minimum battery capacity.

"Roughly the same size" is a world of difference in the tech world where dimensions are measured with precision to tenths of a mm.