A Retina display iPad mini see a release in the third quarter of this year if a prediction by an analyst is to be believed.
According to a new
report by CNET, NPD DisplaySearch, a global market research and consulting firm focusing on the display supply chain, has predicted that Apple is likely to refresh the iPad mini with a Retina display in the third quarter.
The same firm had earlier told the online publication that it was expecting two iPad mini refreshes, with the first one coming in the second half of 2013 and the other in first quarter of 2014. It had also added that the Q1 2014 refresh would see a Retina display. However it didn't specify as to which display technology would be used by Apple.
The current generation iPad mini features a display that has a resolution of 768x1024 pixels, and pixel density of 163ppi.
In March, DisplaySearch had made a
similar prediction. It had said that a new iPad mini with an upgraded display was likely to appear later in the third quarter or fourth quarter of the year, but a Nexus 7 with a very-high-resolution display might make an appearance soon.
Paul Semenza, an analyst with the firm had said that it speculated that Retina version of the iPad mini with a resolution of 1536x2048 pixels, and pixel density of 324ppi, might go into production in the third quarter of 2013, with availability expected in the third or fourth quarter, as per a guess based on supply chain data. Semenza had also added that Apple could shortlist from companies such as LG Display, AUO, Japan Display, and Sharp to make the next iPad mini's display. He had stated that the challenge would be to fit a Retina display into the iPad mini's 7.2mm chassis.