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iPad mini Chances of iPad mini retina this year?

J

joachimnb

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 10, 2008
51
0
I can't understand why the first iPad mini did not have retina display. Trying the thin and light iPod Touch really makes one wonder why. It is faster, so light, has great battery life and it is equipped with a perfectly fine retina display. It seems like there is just no excuse for it... Could Apple really be releasing another mini without retina display? The rumors point in different directions with the newest rumors in favour of retina.

I almost feel like buying the current mini just for the wait, but it becomes a principle not to as I do not want to support releasing one with that display.

There will probably be no mentioning of iPad September 10th...

What do you think? Would you have bought one now?
 
I've been tempted to buy an iPad mini for a long time. But I'm just going to wait.

I wouldn't really say it was old hardware but I'm waiting for something else.
 
No.....

because we are getting mixed reports about the iPad mini with Retina and the iPad "normal"....

I can say a safe bet is first semester 2014. But can be proved wrong....:D


:):apple:
 
I really hope so because I'm up for a new tablet this fall and, if a retina mini isn't forthcoming, I'm going to go with the Galaxy Note 12.2. Of course, I'd really love to have one of the Cintiq Companions, but the S-Pen will have to do.
 
joachimnb said:
I can't understand why the first iPad mini did not have retina display. Trying the thin and light iPod Touch really makes one wonder why. It is faster, so light, has great battery life and it is equipped with a perfectly fine retina display. It seems like there is just no excuse for it... Could Apple really be releasing another mini without retina display? The rumors point in different directions with the newest rumors in favour of retina.
Click to expand...

Count the number of pixels you're moving and you'll understand why the mini couldn't be retina. The battery in the full size iPad has four times the capacity of the one in the mini because it has to drive 4x as many pixels, shine the backlight brighter because the pixel density is higher and run a more powerful GPU. Putting a retina display in a mini using the same technology as the iPad 4 would probably produce a mini that is 1/2 an inch thick to handle the battery capacity. They need newer more dense battery and a new screen technology both of which may be coming. Or not. Who knows? Apple.

Retina indicates the pixel density, not the pixel count.
 
At first I didn't think they could cram 2048x1536 onto the smaller screen, and I don't think they'd do any other rez since they like to keep it multiples of 1024x768 (so nothing gets fuzzy from scaling).

However, the current iPad Mini has 163 PPI (pixels per inch).

Doubling that to 2048x1536 would be 326 PPI. Incidentally, the iPhone 4/4S/5 screen is exactly 326 PPI.

So, based on that math alone, it seems like an obvious next move for iPad mini.
 
I don's see how they can't update to higher PPI. It pains me to look at the screens of my non retina MacBook and my iPad mini. If I dont think about its not so bad, but once i start to notice, it's damn annoying. It's like watching sports on 480...... never again!!
 
VanillaCracker said:
Yeah, well Google put in a 1080p resolution in an even smaller screen with the nexus 7 so it's completely possible. I hope they do it.
Click to expand...

PPI isn't the issue. There are screens with much higher PPI than than the iPhone, iPad Retina, or even the Nexus 7. It's what comes after is the problem: faster processor and better GPU, which means increased battery capacity is necessary. This means greater density which ultimately translates to a larger encasement and more weight. I'm sure this is what Apple has been working on.

Apple obviously doesn't want to compromise size and weight for PPI, and I doubt the customer would either. It's something I'm sure they've figured out though.
 
DeanKeith said:
At first I didn't think they could cram 2048x1536 onto the smaller screen, and I don't think they'd do any other rez since they like to keep it multiples of 1024x768 (so nothing gets fuzzy from scaling).

However, the current iPad Mini has 163 PPI (pixels per inch).

Doubling that to 2048x1536 would be 326 PPI. Incidentally, the iPhone 4/4S/5 screen is exactly 326 PPI.

So, based on that math alone, it seems like an obvious next move for iPad mini.
Click to expand...

nStyle said:
PPI isn't the issue. There are screens with much higher PPI than than the iPhone, iPad Retina, or even the Nexus 7. It's what comes after is the problem: faster processor and better GPU, which means increased battery capacity is necessary. This means greater density which ultimately translates to a larger encasement and more weight. I'm sure this is what Apple has been working on.

Apple obviously doesn't want to compromise size and weight for PPI, and I doubt the customer would either. It's something I'm sure they've figured out though.
Click to expand...

I think you're right. They added .6 mm to the iPad 4 with Retina from iPad 2. They might have to add .6 mm to the iPad mini with Retina, if they want the same effect.

The A6 CPU is actually more efficient than the A5, but you're right GPU would hinder battery more after a refresh.
 
VanillaCracker said:
Lol it's like that because it is. Not quite 480 but less than 720p

----------



Yeah, well Google put in a 1080p resolution in an even smaller screen with the nexus 7 so it's completely possible. I hope they do it.
Click to expand...

1920x1080 is around 2 million pixels. The iPad 4 screen is over 3 million so you're moving substantially more pixels, and the PPI for the mini screen at 7.9" in a 4:3 ratio will be a fair bit higher than the 16:9 Nexus 7. In a way Apple has drawn themselves into a corner by insisting on an exact doubling to get to retina but the visual effect is significantly better than scaling by inexact numbers. If they want to retain the 10 hour battery life of the mini, while increasing performance (CPU and GPU need to be faster) and quadrupling the number of pixels it moves, without it producing searing heat levels too they've got to get some better tech than went into the 1st gen iPad mini.

The thing that interests me is how many people don't care about retina and are still buying iPad 2. Apple is doing one nice thing in iOS 7 for non-retina devices - allowing them to run iPhone apps with retina assets so all apps are going to look nice on iPad 2 and iPad mini, and not so nice on iPad 3 and iPad 4 in the case of iPhone apps since they'll still need scaling. The fact that they've done this suggests that they're going to keep non-retina iPads around for a while yet.
 
GreatDrok said:
1920x1080 is around 2 million pixels. The iPad 4 screen is over 3 million so you're moving substantially more pixels, and the PPI for the mini screen at 7.9" in a 4:3 ratio will be a fair bit higher than the 16:9 Nexus 7. In a way Apple has drawn themselves into a corner by insisting on an exact doubling to get to retina but the visual effect is significantly better than scaling by inexact numbers. If they want to retain the 10 hour battery life of the mini, while increasing performance (CPU and GPU need to be faster) and quadrupling the number of pixels it moves, without it producing searing heat levels too they've got to get some better tech than went into the 1st gen iPad mini.

I understand that. I'm sure it won't be a problem for them to do eventually
Click to expand...


GreatDrok said:
The fact that they've done this suggests that they're going to keep non-retina iPads around for a while yet.
Click to expand...

I would hate that. Why can't they just take out non-retina items and force people to pay premiums for their products for 1-2 more years until high-res display costs come down. It's worked for them in the past (regarding all their over-priced goods).
 
The first iPad Mini will go down in the history books as being one of the last products Apple made (which was likely in the Jobs era pipeline) that Apple knew everyone wanted, before anyone actually did.

That was their recipe for massive success with the iPod, the iPhone, and the first iPad. Don't ask people what they want, give it to them...that was their M.O.

Those days are all but over.

Now with a certain visionary gone, Apple has gone from giving us things we didn't even know we wanted, to struggling to give us what we have come to expect, based on previous products, competition, and trends.

If Apple does make a retina Mini, it will be because people won't settle for less. The Mini was a somewhat compromised product compared to other iPads, but a sprinkling of leftover Jobs fairy dust made it sell like hot cakes. With the dust reserves running out, Apple really has no choice but to make a retina Mini.

Apple is now like an aging top 40 band, whose lead singer has permanently left. They're still popular, because everyone is still playing their last few great albums. And for a while, people will be content to have a few new hits that sound basically like the last ones. But gone are the days of writing entirely new and different songs, and at some point, with no fresh material, they will likely slip from the public's favor.

Like so many companies before them, Apple is following the tried and true path of failure. Innovate>proliferate>litigate>stagnate>liquidate. Last year was the year of litigation...

JMHO.
 
Obviously, it is totally different story making retina ipod touch and retina Ipad.

U already see many many problems regarding Ipad fullsize retina eg. weight, heat, heavy usage of cpu. Ipad mini can either be retina or non retina, it cant be in between because there isn't apps to support such resolution.

I,too, am holding myself from purchasing one even with many interest promotion because it dont like the screen and built quality. The screen size though 7.9 seems perfect. But im using Ipad 2, its too much alike. Dont want to sell the 2 because i like it a lot too. Ipad mini retina will be a huge sale but it would also effect overall sales of apple tablet. Like above comment mentioned that now apple is offering what we wants instead of making something we don't expect and we grow to liking it. There will never be a second Steve Jobs. At least for the time being.
 
Coming out with an iPad mini without increased PPI and resolution isn't an option if apple wants to remain a player at the 7-8 inch tablet market. They would be bashed to no end by these so called tech reviewers, further tarnishing the brand, if the next gen has the same screen.

My nexus 7 has a beautiful display, good battery life, and is lighter than the last model. If the Asus and Google engineers were able to pull it off I don't see why Apple couldn't.

Apple should do something we don't expect with the hardware and not just try to divert our attention with gimmicks like finger print identification.

I'm sure the next mini will be retina, bumped to only 1 gig, and an A6. When Apple should wow us and manage to get the rumored A7 in and 2 gigs all while retaining the same battery life. But that likely isn't going to happen.
 
i hope no more yellow, pink, uneven screen lottery at least. i wanted to write something like "maybe with IGZO technology it's not going to be a problem anymore" but this picture is just hilarious:

sharp-igzo-comparison-11403203.jpg
 
nStyle said:
PPI isn't the issue. There are screens with much higher PPI than than the iPhone, iPad Retina, or even the Nexus 7. It's what comes after is the problem: faster processor and better GPU, which means increased battery capacity is necessary. This means greater density which ultimately translates to a larger encasement and more weight. I'm sure this is what Apple has been working on.

Apple obviously doesn't want to compromise size and weight for PPI, and I doubt the customer would either. It's something I'm sure they've figured out though.
Click to expand...

that's absolutely right. the iPad is already pretty darn heavy. hence the reason the mini did so well - AND why apple reversed it's stance on a small tablet.
 
Zellio said:
Ipad? Heavy?? You people need to go to the gym once in awhile..
Click to expand...
To me it wasn't the weight, it;'s the size. Among other things, the iPad mini fits nicely in my camera bag, the regular iPad wouldn't fit.

And that's just one of the reasons why the smaller size of the iPad mini is better for my usage.
 
wolfpuppies3 said:
Fortunately, with the mini's screen size, a retina display s not necessary.
Click to expand...

I disagree. I ordered a mini online when it was released, waited three weeks for delivery, and then returned it fewer than 24 hours after receiving it. I have an iPhone 4 and a Retina MBP. With those as my two other screens, I couldn't stand the non-Retina mini. It looked blurry to me. Though, I suppose, it's not a problem if you have no point of reference.
 
mikeoui said:
I disagree. I ordered a mini online when it was released, waited three weeks for delivery, and then returned it fewer than 24 hours after receiving it. I have an iPhone 4 and a Retina MBP. With those as my two other screens, I couldn't stand the non-Retina mini. It looked blurry to me. Though, I suppose, it's not a problem if you have no point of reference.
Click to expand...

1024x768 screen resolution is crap no matter the size.. Esp. when you have 4.7 inch android screens at 1080p..
 
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