Apple Inc. (AAPL) Retina iPad Mini Delayed [REPORT]

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) might face delays if it plans to release its ‘iPad Mini 2’ this year, as severe supply constraints may postpone the launch to 2014, according to Reuters citing a supply chain source. According to Apple, the retina display is a resolution that has been detailed so much that the human eye cannot identify the pixelation.

This feature at present can be accessed on some full-sized iPads, Google Nexus 7, and the Amazon seven-inch Kindle Fire HDX, which will be available for sale next month.

Apple facing supply side issues

As per the sources, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was gearing to launch its second generation iPad Mini towards the end of this month, but issues over the suppliers of high resolution retina display panels is causing problems in production. According to the reports, suppliers LG Display, Samsung and Sharp are competing for the contract, but there is no word over the final breakdown of the order.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) wants the display panels to consume less energy to save power on the devices, which is emerging as the main issue for the production delay. The retina display will eat into the battery life and consume more power compared to the current tablet, which requires less power to operate.

The certification issue has been resolved and the screen manufacturers are expected to increase their production, however, volumes may to be enough for a mass launch this year. Apple can either refrain from launching the next generation mini until production is ramped up, or will launch in limited quantities this year.

Earlier, KGI analyst predicted similar delay

Analyst Ming-chi Kuo from KGI, in a report released in April, predicted a similar scenario that mass production of the retina iPad mini might be postponed until October. Analysts noted that Apple is facing problems relating to the Retina Display yields, due to which the iPad mini might be launched in December. Further, in July, he came up with a report stating that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will unveil the less expensive iPad mini along with a higher-spec retina version.

There were reports earlier that the second generation iPad mini would be launched simultaneously with a redesigned 9.7-inch iPad towards the end of this month, but the latest reports raise doubt over the previous one.

According to a source, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is ready to launch a low-cost version of the 7.9-inch tablet and will lower the internal storage to cut down on cost while keeping the same specifications. Trimming down storage memory may lower the price of the device and increase the sales of the device in emerging markets like China.