Retina Display Already Planned for iPad Mini 2
The iPad mini 2 is expected to arrive in 4Q13 with a Retina display.
Unnamed sources in China report that AU Optronics, which is one of the many suppliers providing 1024 x 768 panels for Apple's slick new iPad mini, plans to enter mass production of 2048 x 1536 resolution 7.9-inch displays (497 ppi) for the iPad mini 2 by the second half of 2013. That seemingly sets the iPad mini's refresh cycle at a full year, following the footsteps of the larger Apple tablets prior to the iPad 4.
MENAFN reports that AUO will cram the Retina screen into a 7.9-inch form factor by adopting Sharp's IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) technology to prolong the tablet's battery life without sacrificing brightness. The company will also use Gate IC on array (GOA) which will allow Apple to provide a thinner frame along the perimeter of the screen.
AUO also reportedly said on Wednesday that it had addressed the yield issues currently seen on the first-generation iPad mini that forced the company to limit its supply of displays for Pegatron (which is manufacturing the tablet along with Foxconn), eliminating the problem with bleeding light. AUO plans to ship 800,000 displays in November and 1 million units in December.
On Tuesday UBM TechInsights released its teardown analysis of the current iPad mini, estimating that Apple pays $214.75 for the components in the 16 GB version which has a starting price of $329. The firm also stated that Apple pulls in a gross margin of about 35-percent for the 7.9-inch iOS tablet. By comparison, Apple's component costs for the iPad 4 are reportedly $284, thus Apple is pulling in a 43-percent gross margin.
Recently critics have been pointing out the iPad mini's 1024 x 768 display as one of the tablet's major setbacks, saying it's "very capable" but doesn't follow Apple's high-quality display tradition. At 163 pixels per inch, it also doesn't stand up to the 216-ppi displays found on Google's Nexus 7 or Amazons's Kindle Fire HD. Even more, it's believed that Apple could have at least cranked up the resolution to 1280 x 960 and provide older apps in a letterboxed format.
They were perfectly capable of doing the first iPad mini with a retina display, but then sheep wouldn't feel a need to purchase the next "revolutionary device" by Apple.
They were perfectly capable of doing the first iPad mini with a retina display, but then sheep wouldn't feel a need to purchase the next "revolutionary device" by Apple.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/07/apple_screen_maker_eying_retina_ipad_mini_pants_site/
Tom's: "The iPad mini 2 is expected to arrive in 4Q13 with a Retina display."
So, a year from now, Apple expects to refresh it's new product. Prior to the new new iPad, wasn't that the status quo...?
Ok so this PURELY apple that does this correct?
And you're saying that GOOGLE ALSO incrementally increases their resolution on their tablets?
So by that logic GOOGLE AND APPLE(and other companies) both introduce a product then release a successor that has BETTER specs? But, it's only Apple that does this "BS" correct?
Up your Apple. Really. Just up yours.
All companies are about the money. Period.
Tom's: "Unnamed sources in China report that AU Optronics, which is one of the many suppliers providing 1024 x 768 panels for Apple's slick new iPad mini"
If there was no leak [I'm assuming the leak wasn't intentional by Apple, but who knows], how long of a time frame would you think Apple is going to target for a successor? The article says it is a year out, so what is the problem?
With the leak, it sounds like next version in a year; without the leak, next version in about a year.
Higher PPI = more detailed text, icons, etc.
Also if you keep the PPI constant, then to get a larger resolution you would have to increase the physical screen size. Eventually that could cease becoming practical and you would need a higher PPI.
Agreed dude!!!!!! why dont companies just make a 100ghz 9 billion core processor already??????
why dont they just instantly go to 9000000000x120000000000 resolution????? wtf
"no""?
The biggest reason is that exactly doubling the resolution [or quadrupling if you are looking at pixel counts, I guess] makes for easy scaling. The 497 appears to be a typo or math error anyways as the real number for a 7.9" screen at 2048x1536 is 324.
LOL best response in the past month on TH!
The current Mini shares it's resolution with the iPad and iPad2... the rumored next one will share with the current 9.7" iPad. If developers are already writing code to work with current versions of the iPad, then they are still all set going forward...