iPad mini 2 with Retina display rumoured to be on its way soon

The iPad mini has only recently been launched, and it is yet to reach a majority of the countries across the world. The 7.9-inch tablet, though selling in large numbers, has received some flak for its display. Rumours of an iPad mini with Retina display have already started, as per a report by Slash Gear, which sourced information from a Chinese website DoNews. The Chinese website claims that the display maker of the iPad mini, Au Optronics, is already working on displays with a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution designed for the 7.9-inch tablet.

The report by Slash Gear states that DoNews has received information from sources based in China that AU Optronics expects to begin mass producing 2048 x 1536 resolution, 7.9-inch displays by the second half of 2013. This will give the display a pixel density of 324ppi.

Expect an iPad mini with Retina Display next year

It may come as no surprise as rumours of an iPad mini with a Retina Display have been doing the rounds. Apple has many products with eye pleasing pixel densities, such as the iPhones, iPod touch, the new iPads, and MacBook Pro notebooks.

The report also states, “AUO will also use Gate IC on array (GOA), it’s claimed, which will enable a thinner frame around the outside of the display. Meanwhile, the company says it has also addressed the yield issues around the current iPad mini display, cutting out the light leakage problem that has constrained supplies.”

If one expects the iPad mini with Retina Display capabilities to hit shelves in the near future, then the wait is a little long as this second generation iPad mini is believed to start shipping by the fourth quarter of 2013, according to insiders familiar with the matter.

The iPad mini has an aluminium and glass design 7.2mm thick, and weighs only 0.68 pounds. As per an official statement by Apple, the iPad mini has 35 percent more screen real estate than 7-inch tablets, and up to 67 percent more usable viewing area when browsing the web. The dual-core A5 chip on the iPad mini allows for responsive graphics and a multi-touch experience that Apple believes to be both, fast and fluid while still providing all-day battery life.

The iPad mini features a front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a 5-megapixel iSight camera at the back, which allows for recording full 1080p HD video. The iSight camera includes video image stabilisation and both cameras feature backside illumination, which Apple claims will allow users to capture great pictures in low light. The iPad mini also allows easy sharing of photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

Both iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad with Retina display are available in 34 countries including the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and the UK, and will be available in many more countries later this year, including mainland China. However, there is no word on the date of availability in India yet. Apple claims that the demand for iPad mini exceeded the initial supply and while many of the pre-orders have been shipped to customers, some are scheduled to be shipped later this month.