The Apple iPad Mini has been a smash hit since its release back in November but although it has only been out a few months attention is already turning to the next iteration dubbed the iPad mini 2. We have already heard rumors of a Retina display for the next iPad mini, which is perhaps unsurprising as the lack of Retina for the recently release iPad mini was one of the only disappointments for some. It now appears that Apple is already assessing display panels with Retina-class resolution for the iPad mini 2.
We’ve already heard plenty of rumor and speculation about the iPad mini 2 and forecasts by one renowned analyst that the next iPad mini, with Retina display could release as early as March 2013. Of course this is unconfirmed although it does come from a well-based source but we have also heard other release timeframes mentioned so at this stage your guess is as good as ours.
LG and AU Optronics are both suppliers of display panels for the current iPad mini but it seems that panels based on One Glass Solution (OGS) technology from Shenzhen Century Science & Technology (SCST), a subsidiary of Foxconn, are being evaluated for the iPad mini 2. These panels with Retina-class resolution have been supplied to Apple for testing and are said to supply higher resolution than on the existing iPad mini while maintaining the same size display of 7.9-inches. The OGS monolithic touch technology involved is less costly than G/Gtype touch panels that are customarily used but there have been issues with low yield and a yellow tint although this is said to be surmountable.
It looks as though Apple is currently at the assessment stage before final suppliers are decided for the iPad mini 2 production stage then, so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that we could see an iPad mini 2 in the early part of the year with the Retina display that many people desire. We’ll point out though, as we always do, that as Apple very closely safeguards its future products anything so far is leaked or conjecture but we certainly think it’s increasingly likely that a Retina display will be evident when the iPad mini 2 finally hits the shelves.
We’d like to hear what our readers think about this. Are you hoping that the next iPad mini will have a Retina display? Maybe you don’t see it as a big deal and there are other features you’d like to see that are more important to you? Let us know with your comments.
Source: China Times