iPad Mini 2 Release Date Pushed Back to 2014 for Retina Model

By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, June 20, 2013

The iPad Mini 2 or retina model will see a 2014 release date.

DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim retracted some of his earlier statements claiming the retina model would debut in the fall and now claims Apple fans will see it sometime next year.

"Apple is expected to refresh its iPad mini in the second half of the year. The new iPad will continue to use a 7.9-inch display with 1024 x 768 resolution, but it will use the iOS 7 operating system and an A6 processor in a slimmer design than the current generation."

"Another iPad Mini is also planned for production but not until early 2014," he continued. "That device is expected to feature a QXGA (2048x1536) resolution display and the iOS 7 OS."

The DisplaySearch report should be taken with a grain of salt as no information on the tablet has been confirmed at this time.

The iPad Mini 2 is expected to launch shortly after the release of the fifth-generation full sized model, according to an older report from DigiTimes. Volume production of the new generation 9.7-inch iPad is expected to begin in July-August, with shipments in the third quarter estimated at five million units.

Volume production on the iPad Mini is set to begin sometime between September and November. The publication claims to have attained this information from Taiwan-based supply-chain makers.

DigiTimes also reported on some of the specifications for the new full-sized iPad, stating that it will be narrower, thinner and lighter than the current model. It will also look very similar to the iPad Mini. This is something that has been reported by several tech publications in the past.

These claims fall right in line with a report released from tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo back in April. He predicted that iPad 5 will be 15 percent thinner and 25 percent lighter than the current version.

"The new device will likely be about 500 grams, or some 25 percent lighter than iPad 4, run on an A7X processor, and sport cameras with similar specs to the iPad 4's (front HD, rear 5MP)," wrote Kuo in his report. "The casing shape and color (silver and black) and narrow bezel design will be similar to the iPad mini's."