Leaked pictures hint at Retina display for Apple’s next iPad mini

Apple’s iPad mini has been criticised for its relatively low-res screen, but Apple may be preparing to boost the resolution of the next-generation iPad mini to Retina levels. Reportedly, the next iPad mini would up the pixel density from 162 ppi to 326 ppi. This is not the first time we are hearing about the resolution being enhanced. If Apple does up the resolution of the iPad mini, the next-generation device will boast a resolution of 2058 x 1536 pixels.

Pictures leaked on Chinese forum Weiphone reveal what's said to be the new Apple iPad mini. The images show a thicker casing on the iPad mini 2 than the one used on the maiden edition.

The leaked pictures showing the coloured logo as well as the thicker casing

Leaked pictures of the iPad 3 showed a thicker casing on the device, predicting a Retina display on that tablet, so this rumour does have a precedent. Obviously, the Retina Display upgrade will entail a price hike for the tablet, which is already priced in the higher end when it comes to slates with 7-inch displays.

The photos also show that the staid Apple logo on back of the device has been replaced with a bright blue one, similar to the blue option in the iPod touch. This indicates that Apple may be launching the next-gen mini in several colour options. The rumoured cheaper iPhone is also expected to be available in several colours.

Earlier reports hinted at the LED light bars being restructured from two to one in order to decrease the new iPad mini’s overall weight. We had also reported that Apple is going with the same design language used in the iPad mini for its next-gen 9.7-inch iPad.

The current iPad mini has a dual-core A5 chip and features a front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a 5-megapixel iSight camera at the back. The iSight camera includes video image stabilisation and both cameras feature backside illumination. The smaller iPad features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support.

The 16GB iPad mini Wi-Fi only version is available for Rs 21,900, while the 32GB and 64GB versions cost Rs 27,900 and Rs 33,900, respectively. The iPad mini Wi-Fi + cellular version costs Rs 29,900 for the 16GB version, and the 32GB version is priced at Rs 35,900. The high-end 64GB iPad mini Wi-Fi + cellular version sells for Rs 41,900.