Apple Inc. (AAPL) iPad Mini Will Not Feature A Retina Display [REPORT]

Richard Shim of NPD Display Search deviated from his early predictions that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) would integrate Retina display to its iPad mini any time before 2014.

What Shim predicted earlier about iPad Mini?

In May, Shim said that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) would probably launch an iPad mini, which will have identical Retina Display resolution like in its full sized iPad 4 model. He also said that the new model will be launched in the second half of the year 2013, and iPad mini will be launched in the first quarter of 2014.

What the analyst says now?

Shim, however, said in a new report that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) most probably will update its iPad mini in the second half of the year. The display of the new iPad will be same 7.9 inch along with (non retina) 1024×768 resolution. The operating system of the refreshed iPad will be updated to iOS 7 operating system and an A6 processor. The updated Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iPad will be slimmer than the present models.

Projections

According to Shim’s projections, a fully refurbished iPad will sit on the not yet announced “A7” processor. He said, “Apple’s mix of tablet PC shipments is projected to be 60 percent iPad mini and 40 percent iPad in 2013”.

In the report, Shim mentioned that the tablet PCs whose screen size will be less than 9 inches will garner 66 percent of tablet PC shipments this year. There will be an increase in the percentage with an updated new iPad mini and upcoming 8-inch tablets from Acer Incorporated (TPE:2353), Asus, Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) and Lenovo Group Limited (ADR) (PINK:LNVGY), in the third quarter.

In 2012, as per the report from analyst the tablets that were similar in size to iPad garnered 60 percent of the overall PCs, which have been shipped. However, Shim estimates that the smaller size tablets will be more popular. Shim, however, holds the view that rather than joining the herd of 7 inch tablet, makers will follow the 8 inch tablet strategy.

Tweener tablets

Late Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s Steve Jobs said that there are only “a handful of credible entrants” in the wide range of Android devices, which were launched in 2010. He said that these makers are bound to use “tweener” and 7 inch display strategy to decline the price and come close to iPad.

If the prediction that 8 inch tablets will be launched, it becomes the fact then the point made by Jobs that less than 8 inch ‘tweener’ tablets do not fulfill the requirements of a tablet app and are sold as a smartphone will become right.