iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display is prepared for a launch that would take place in the second part of next year, at least that's what the rumors that have appeared so far suggest. Company partners Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), would have trouble producing enough Retina Displays for the next product, so this year Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), could release an improved version of iPad Mini. The new version of the tablet would be lighter, thinner and will probably include the chip A6 which is found in iPad 4 or the terminal iPhone 5. Interestingly, Apple is willing to modify the design of the tablet to give the impression that it has absolutely no side edges, virtually increasing the space for presenting images.
Apple's next generation iPad mini may not go into mass production until the fourth quarter of 2013, which will likely bring about a 2014 release date for the device, according to industry supply chain sources. Apple is reportedly aiming to use Retina panel technology equipped with 2,048 by 1,536 resolution in the next generation 7.9-inch iPad mini. Apple is also said to be revising the design of the chassis to give the next-generation iPad mini an almost bezel-free look. While the new iPad mini may not be available during the year-end shopping season, Apple reportedly may first release a slightly updated version of the current iPad mini in the second half of 2013, which is expected to be lighter, thinner and equipped with improved specifications, the sources said.
Regarding iPad 5, Apple is going to use a new technology in Retina Displays, allowing the implementation of thinner screens and reducing weight by up to 30%. Moreover, Apple would follow the example of the iPad Mini and change the design of the tablet to reduce the edges of the screen and give the feeling that the space for displaying images is larger. The tablet should go into production this month and could be launched on the market in the fall of this year, October or November being taken into account.
Additionally, the sources said that Apple's upcoming fifth-generation iPad is expected to use thin-film touch screen technology, which will be able to reduce the weight of the device by 20-30%. The device will also feature a slimmer bezel design to allow a larger viewing area. The fifth-generation iPad 5 is expected to start production in small amounts during July 2013 followed by volume shipments of 2-3 million units in August and September. As of October, shipments of the device are expected to increase another 25-30%, the sources believe.
Practically nothing of what we see now is new, the same information has been known for months and months, sources inside Apple's distribution chain saying exactly the same thing.
