“Apparent screen yield issues will prevent Apple from producing a second-generation iPad mini with Retina display before October, according to one well-connected analyst,” Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider.
“Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities said in a research note obtained by AppleInsider on Sunday that he doesn’t believe a so-called ‘iPad mini 2’ will go into mass production before October,” Hughes reports. “He cited apparent production issues associated with cramming enough pixels into the device’s 7.9-inch display to qualify it as a ‘Retina’ caliber of screen.”
“Because of those rumored production issues, Kuo suggested that Apple might introduce a more affordable iPad mini in the interim to help boost sales and fend off low-priced tablet competitors,” Hughes reports. “He sees a low-cost iPad mini being priced between $199 and $249.”
Read more in the full article here.
Of course this is just rumor-bait but if it’s true, it’s another strike for supply-chain genius Tim Cook.
Yes, and just WHEN did Apple announce the next iPad mini, retina OR not???? 🙂
Likewise when did being a supply-chain genius equate to being an inventor of displays?
It’s kind of hard to guarantee a supply of a component that hasn’t been developed yet.
I am tired of hearing this . If u , anal yists , are good enough , tell me what exactly what Apple will release this fall .
I am calling it. Bull$$hit! It harder to make bigger screens that smaller ones. The big iPad has a retina display. The smaller iPhone has a retina display…and some idiot is saying the problem is with making the middle sized screen.
You should look up the definition of “retina display”. Not all retina displays have the same resolution or even the same PPI. The PPI on a retina display for an iPad mini would be much higher than the iPhone or full sized iPad.
Additionally, there are issues with making a display that can fit within the other spec restraints necessary for a decent experience with the iPad mini.
I think a lot of people, like yourself, don’t understand any of this, or exactly how hard Apple pushed the envelop with the iPad 3.
This is why there were all kinds of idiotic statements when the iPad mini came out regarding retina. Everything from “Apple blew it, it should’ve been retina” to “The retina version is coming in a couple of months”.
The reality has always been that the developers of display components have been estimating that a retina display suitable for the iPad mini wouldn’t be ready in volume until the the end of the year at the earliest.
This is why I’ve been saying since the iPad mini was first released that an iPad retina wouldn’t be available until the end of 2013 at the earliest, and more likely the next version of the iPad mini wouldn’t be retina either. I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t see a retina iPad mini until 2014.
Apple has its work cut out for it in regards to an iPad Mini-size Retina Display. Remember how Apple designed the current Mini display? It’s the same total number of pixels as the iPad 2, but on a smaller screen. The reason they did this is so that each pixel on the Mini would do the same job as the corresponding pixel on the iPad 2. No need to adjust Apps, change the software, anything.
For a Retina display on iPad Mini, they either have to lose all the advantages they created in using the shrunken-down iPad 2 display, OR they need to cram a full-size Retina iPad’s screen into a smaller space. And given the quality of the full-size iPad’s Retina screen, that’s going to be pretty darn hard to do.
Not to mention that it’s going to be a pain to power that screen, and there’ll be a lot of other issues. Long story short: Apple made a huge compromise to make the iPad Mini work and give the full iPad experience in a smaller package, and it’s going to be very difficult for them to correct that for an iPad Mini with Retina.
If Apple expects to sell many more iPad minis than standard iPads it is important to maintain adequate quality control with ramped up production. No more iMac fiascos, please.
“He sees a low-cost iPad mini being priced between $199 and $249.”
Wrong. The price will be $269.
(329 x 399) / 500 = 263.06813627254509
Ok, if true then what is the story? The Retina resolution already is on the bigger screen of the iPad and the smaller screen of the iPhone. So, it can be made. Now we are back to yield. What is Apple ramping up for in a slowing world wide market? Could be the MISSING contract for 67% of the China mobile market. So, what is the state of the unsigned contract with China Mobile? They are changing the cell towers in China to support the iPhone and Apple is building at least one Server Farm in Hong Kong (any others in China are not talked about at this time BY ANYONE YET!!!)
Just 3 months ago, Tim Cook stated that China will be a larger customer than the United States of America. Are all the analysts posing like ostriches with their heads in the ground (or else where)?
The iPad Mini with Retina is going to be a whole different beast for Apple than anything else, because of how Apple went about designing the iPad Mini to begin with. Not all Retina displays are created equal. In order to maintain the Mini’s big advantage (that all iPad Apps work seamlessly on it because it has the same resolution as the iPad 2), they have to shrink the iPad Retina Display down to the Mini size.
It’s one thing to make a Retina display of a certain size. It’s a completely other thing to take the same Retina resolution from one device, and shrink it down.
Server farms.
I call BS, too. An October release of a new iPad mini will be perfect for holiday sales, which will go through the roof.
I thought the intention of saving up those billions of dollars was to facilitate things like massive R&D to overcome production problems should they arise and keep Apple from building something like an iPad Mini with a retina display. Because I want one desperately. Apple needs to keep making stuff that we can want desperately. I try to want a Nano but it’s not working.
This anal cyst shows he does not understand how Apple works on its product upgrade cycles when he makes the suggestion that Apple may issue a $199 to $249 price range iPad to “compete” for the low end market. apple always keeps their price and adds value to the product at that price point. This lack of historical perspective makes anything else the analyst has to say completely suspect as analyzed in a total knowledge vacuum.
“Because of those rumored production issues, Kuo suggested that Apple might introduce a more affordable iPad mini in the interim to help boost sales and fend off low-priced tablet competitors”
Now that is a stupid idea from someone that obviously doesn’t follow Apple.