From the start the iPad Mini was underpowered compared to Apple’s ten inch iPad and the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD had better screen resolution and faster processors, this still did not stop the Mini from selling like wildfire.
However, the standout feature missing from the iPad Mini is the retina display and everyone assumes the higher resolution will be coming to the next version of the smaller tablet.
Analysts do not believe this though and say it is more likely the iPad Mini 3 will have the retina display, with the iPad Mini 2 having some faster processor and coming with the new iOS7 operating system.
The iPad Mini 2 may also have a slimmer design due to new glass manufacturing, Apple is currently trying to implement the design changes to make the smaller tablet the thinnest in the world.
Apple has a six month release date or two fall release date with the iPad’s currently, this means we are likely to see one at WWDC and then another iPad Mini around Q1 2014.
Q1 2014 will most likely be when we see the first iPad Mini with retina display, because manufacturing of the screens with this resolution will only begin late 2013, after the iPad Mini 2 is released.
Apple could bump the price down a little for the next generation of the iPad Mini 2 and this may fuel even more buyers for the original, if the price goes below $150 for a refurbished iPad Mini.
This may come as bad news for some buyers holding out for the retina display iPad Mini, the current screen on the Mini is good for most people, but for some consumers who enjoy watching high resolution movies it fails to live up to other tablets.
Apple may want to keep the iPad Mini short, to stop more cannibalisation of both tablet markets.
