I'm trying to gauge the likelihood of the next iPad mini (to be launched in March) having a higher-resolution screen.

This report is dismissive: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...cessors-report

But this is more optimistic: http://www.extremetech.com/computing...c-in-the-works


I know it's all rumour, but is there any sort of consensus out there?

There's no guarantee they'll update it in March.
But I would guess the next version will have a retina screen.

i would also expect that the next version would have a retina screen.

the arguments against it to my mind is that why would they spend the money if they don't think they can recoup it through price?

From what the guys from Apple said at last nights conference call - supplies of the current Mini are still constrained - meaning they can't really make them fast enough to meet demand.

For a new Mini to be announced in March, I think they would have already had to go into production by now, it's nearly Feb after all. A new retina mini would need quite an internal redesign to support a retina display - new battery/cp/gpu etc, the new screen. We have seen and heard absolutely nothing at all rumour/leak wise of potential new components.

Also remember - it didn't start to be sent to customers who ordered online from Apple until early November, and incredibly, it's only in the last 2 or 3 weeks is been easily available to order from other shops.

The minute they bring out a mini with a retina screen I will buy it. The mini's size is perfect for my needs but when you compare side by side, the current screen on the mini looks so poor. So I will wait. It has to come at some point, what else is there for them to add? There's only so many times they can dick about with the processor speed or camera lens and still keep people interested.

I can't see it being as soon as March though. That would annoy so many of their not-quite-100%-fanboy customer categories. I think the current Mini will be on the market a year first.

problem is whether 'retina' is good enough to sway people these days as its no longer the market leader it was.

Id expect a new catchphrase to be invented by Apple soon ..... i reckon SuperRetina

week on week, compared to the same quarter last year, iPad sales were up 60%

Personally I'm inclined to believe the recent source that said new iPads would be Autumn rather than Spring, particularly as that source has been spot on with the majority of other rumours.

I think Apple would annoy too many early adopters of the iPad Mini if they did a new model 6 months after the last. They got absolutely hammered for updating the iPad Retina only 6 months after it first appeared.

Thanks for the answers. Think I'll wait and see...

And the tablet market in general is increasing much faster than that...

The minis resolution is noticeably below the competitors, a position apple doesn't like to be in. The complication is either trying to squeeze in the iPad 3 resolution into an 8 inch tab, or once again compromising and introducing yet another resolution into their range of products.

And your point is ?

For years the 'retina' was THE screen to have. My point was that to release a mini with retina surely won't look as impressive a feat will it ?? I'd expect apple to move on from retina......

I imagine that the next iPad mini will have an HD (or retina as Apple call it) screen. To be honest, I have an iPad2 and the 1024*768 screen is just fine. I don't actually see that much of a difference between that and the iPad3 or 4.

And when you squeeze the same pixel count of the iPad 2 onto the iPad mini the difference gets even less noticeable. I have a retina iPad and an iPad mini and I almost always use the mini in preference.

What a strange thing to ask. Unless anyone here is on the board of Apple how will they know?