Apple’s decision not to opt for the Retina display with the iPad mini was met with disappointment by many, but recent reports have suggested the second generation of the downscaled slab will indeed feature a much higher resolution in line with the rest of the iDevice range. With this in mind, further images have today been sourced from a Chinese forum depicting what is said to represent the rear shell of an iPad mini featuring a high-density display.
The images first reared their head on Weiphone, and as you may notice, the detailing on the back is a bright blue color, where the current generations are silver (on the White & Silver model) or Black (on the Black & Slate model). This may not mean a great deal, although could possibly suggest that Apple intends to offer a fleet of different color configurations, perhaps akin to those offered with the iPod touch. The vibrancy of the color, in particular, is similar to the shade used with the fifth-gen iPod touch, and we could see several color variants with this next-gen device.
The fact these parts appear thicker than the corresponding components of the current iPad mini suggest these are of an upcoming model, rather than modified parts of the current generation. The iPad 3’s casing was similarly thicker than the iPad 2’s, and that was the generation leap which saw the Retina display implemented.
While the iPad mini does have its shortcomings, one of its better features is the form factor, but when you stick a Retina display into the equation, internal hardware must be bumped in order to accommodate the increased demand in power. The only way to improve the resolution by such a significant margin is to forgo some of that thinness and lightness we’ve all become accustomed to, and so if it is to be that the 2nd-gen iPad mini gets the Retina treatment, it will likely be a bit thicker, and a bit heavier.
The most recent rumors indicate a 324ppi display arriving with the next iPad mini, although it has also been suggested this could increase the price by up to 30%. Considering the iPad mini is already at the very top end of the 7-inch tablet price bracket, it will be interesting to note of the consumer response if that winds up being the case.
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