Analyst recants claim that Apple will add Retina display to iPad mini before 2014

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 38
    fyngyrzfyngyrz Posts: 61member
    Yes, a shame. I have a gen 1 iPad, was waiting for the mini to get the retina display. Oh well, guess I'll just keep waiting!
  • Reply 22 of 38


    Is there a way to hide any "news" where an analyst predicts some bullshit?

  • Reply 23 of 38


    There are a lot of sound technical reasons why it's unlikely, due to availability of the displays (in sufficient quantity), cost, and power consumption. But analysts tend to not know or research such facts, and rather come up with schoolboy-like dreams about what the next product will be. I also suspect we may see the new iPad appear well before any retina mini ... Apple likes to release the new high-end models before the new low end. So I foresee a mini-inspired iPad 5 (thinner, lighter, smaller bezel), and at best a spec-bumped version of the mini in the Fall. A new retina mini could then follow, after Xmas.

  • Reply 24 of 38
    badkitteh wrote: »
    Is there a way to hide any "news" where an analyst predicts some bullshit?
    Yes... Go to a "news" site and not an Apple rumor site
  • Reply 25 of 38
    g-newsg-news Posts: 1,107member


    My take on this is as follows:


    The mini introduced a new form factor, apart from size, that will, according to all we have heard so far, will be rolled into the bigger iPad sometime this year.


    The mini is also known to have cannibalized a lot (a LOT) of iPad sales, which was something Apple did not anticipate.


    I therefore think it's unlikely, if also very regrettable, that Apple will introduce a drastically revamped iPad along with an even more attractive iPad mini within such a short amount of time (1 Quarter?).


     


    A second argument is that a retina display would arguably increase the price of the mini beyond it currently interesting pricepoint (you can argue that it is a lot more expensive than the competition, but it is also a lot cheaper than the normal iPad).


     


    I am hoping that we will see an iPad with retina display sooner rather than later, but right now, from what we know, it's probably not going to happen before Q2 2014.

  • Reply 26 of 38
    rtdunhamrtdunham Posts: 428member
    "...Apple subsequently launched its own iPad mini with a larger 7.8 inch screen..."

    7.9, as in the prior references?
  • Reply 27 of 38
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Remember: Apple never promised ANYTHING. The rumor mill has been busy making things up. Now they're shuffling around their fictional stories about Apple's next iPad mini.

    Yep. These analysts and their 'sources' are starting to have doubts about what they previously pulled out of their butts so they are now into CYA mode with talk of issues, delays etc so that it won't be their fault when things are wrong.

    I wouldn't be shocked if the iPad Mini never gets a Retina screen. I could see it becoming the 'cheap' iPad and that could be part of what keeps it in that price point. Could even become a bit cheaper as component prices come down. Many folks believe that while a $329 iPad mini isn't bad a $249 would be better. If it sticks with its almost Retina screen it might be able to get there.
  • Reply 28 of 38
    badkitteh wrote: »
    Is there a way to hide any "news" where an analyst predicts some bullshit?

    Remove AppleInsider from your bookmarks?
  • Reply 29 of 38
    allenbfallenbf Posts: 993member
    I'd be pretty disappointed as I'm holding out for the retina mini. I dont know this analyst's track record but other credible analysts have said we will see a retina display mini this year.

    I want 2 of them. Otherwise I will just settle for one iPad 5 I guess. But I plan to have Aereo this fall (per Aereo, not rumor) and I am buying 3 more Apple TV boxes, and canceling my Direct TV. But I need 2 iPads to make it all perfect. ;-)
  • Reply 30 of 38
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleFanPro View Post


    If they make the next iPad Mini retina display, I'll make my next iPad purchase a mini despite swearing off the smaller screen when the mini was introduced. 

     

    Which is EXACTLY why the next iPad mini won't be Retina. Apple would prefer you buy a full-size iPad because they'll make more money off you!



    The day after the mini was announced everyone started predicting the 2nd gen would be Retina. I said back then that it probably wouldn't be until the 3rd gen. There are too many technical, financial, and marketing arguements against a retina display iPad mini at this poing in time. Sure, there are people who want one. And surely Apple could make one. But there is no good argument why they should vs. all the reason they shouldn't: size, weight, battery life, manufacturing yields, cost, profit margins, cannibilized iPad sales, etc.
  • Reply 31 of 38
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Some were expecting the MBA to go Retina too but entry model devices generally use lower cost parts in order that the margins are high enough and they also create an upsell to the more expensive models.

    The iPad mini is one of those devices though where the form factor alone can make it more compelling than the larger model anyway so there's a reason to make Retina an option, even if it's not the base option.

    One reason not to do it now is that it's currently selling like crazy. Apple owns the whole tablet market just now. Once the demand dies down a bit, they can use Retina to boost it - that's pretty much how any successful business model works. If they give out too much too soon, they just saturate their sales and they are left with nothing to convince people to upgrade to.
  • Reply 32 of 38

    Quote:


    Shim also thinks Apple will release a revamped, full size iPad



     


    Will journalists please stop using this tired old shoe metaphor that few people even understand?


  • Reply 33 of 38
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member


    So why did the stock tank yesterday? Because of this analyst horse-shit? I like how cutting $30 million deals with school districts, which will later grow to the hundreds of millions, has no effect on stuck but horse-shit rumors do. 

  • Reply 34 of 38
    19831983 Posts: 1,225member
    I think IGZO is a major factor here. Without it I don't think a retina Mini is viable due to extra bulk and power consumption issues...I'm also starting to wonder if IGZO displays will ever come to market in the first place! I've been reading about this tech for ages now it seems and still no bonafide products available.
  • Reply 35 of 38

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dunks View Post





    I think you will really enjoy the iPad 5 which will adopt many of the weight and form factor characteristics of the mini, whilst retaining the screen size of the original. Even if they could make an iPad mini with retina display this year they would be mad to because it simply cannibalises their own profit in a market they already dominate.


    Totally agree on the iPad 5.  If some of the rumors are to be believed, it may weigh as little as 16 ounces.  For a ~10" tablet that is freakin' amazing!  That's about my weight limit (including weight of a case so about 1 lb 12 oz) for extended reading at night whilst holding a tablet up in bed, so I'd go for the iPad 5 over a Mini if they hit that weight.


     


    Your second point I must disagree with.  That idea is to crush the competition, and currently the iPad Mini is a pathetic joke when it comes to PPI.  My two year old Nook Color has the same PPI and it cost about $100 less than the current Mini!  Apple are obviously milking their base all they can with the low PPI Mini, but that's no way to create customer loyality.  To me it looks like they're scared that once the iPad Mini goes retina they'll be fresh out of ideas for improving it.

  • Reply 36 of 38
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member


    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    [Shim]: "The new iPad mini will continue to use a 7.9-inch display with a [non-Retina] 1024?768 resolution, but it will use the iOS 7 operating system and an A6 processor, in a slimmer design than the current generation."


     


    Apple may be planning to continue differentiating the full-sized iPad by keeping it as the only Retina-class iPad.  Kind of like the consumer / Pro division in the MacBook Air / MacBook Pro lines and the iMac / Mac Pro lines.  Keeping the iPad mini non-Retina will keep its cost down and reduce its power requirements, so it can stay slim and have long battery life.  (And maybe iOS 7's non-photorealistic design will help to make the non-Retina screen look crisp.)


     


    But how can Apple make the next iPad mini slimmer with the same battery life, if Shim's claims are correct?  Well, iOS 7 may or may not be using the "timer coalescing" trick that OS X Mavericks uses.  (Also used by Microsoft since Windows 7, by the way.)  Instead of frequent and random bursts of CPU activity, you see grouped activity "spikes" with increased idle time between them.  That increased idle time helps to reduce overall Mac power use, and if iOS 7 doesn't already have that feature, Apple might be able to add it before release.


     


    Also, just like with the new Haswell-equipped MacBook Air, the actual hardware can make a huge difference in power efficiency too.  Maybe Apple's next-gen Ax chip will help with power efficiency in iOS devices.


     


    All of which helps to keep power use down, which helps reduce battery size.  If Apple wants to put a Retina display in the iPad mini, they'll need to wait until their next-gen display technology is ready (maybe OLED with IGZO conductors.)

  • Reply 37 of 38
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    It was Horace Dediu who thought that Apple might have invested $2 billion in Sharp to get IGZO displays into production.

    http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/11/07/apple-may-have-invested-2-billion-to-aid-struggling-display-maker-sharp

    Sharp is still in trouble, so much that Samsung is being allowed to invest in them too. I can't imagine Apple would jeopardize their investment, or do anything to weaken Sharp or the future of this technology, or further threaten their pixel-density reputation, or their commitment to making the best devices they can at any time that the tech is ready—any of these, over minor business considerations like profit margins on the iPad line or a desire to squeeze the last drop out of a low-res form-factor.

    The simple answer is that IGZO production isn't ready yet.
  • Reply 38 of 38
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post



    Granted, there's the power to drive such a display now, but is there a battery capable of doing it in such a small package? I think that's the question.


    Yes.


     


    If they can make the touch as ridiculously small as it is and cram all that in there with Retina- the iPad mini will be a walk in the park.


     


    I know we go goo-goo about Apple's engineering- and rightfully so.  But that iPod Touch is something to marvel.

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