Supply Chain Issues Could Delay Retina Display Upgrade for iPad Mini
The drama surrounding Apple's second generation iPad mini tablet and whether or not it will sport a Retina-class display continues as rumors of a supply shortage come to light. Plan and simple, people working in Apple's supply chain are saying that it's not feasible to introduce an iPad mini with a high resolution display this month.
This puts Apple in a bit of a pickle. The Cupertino company could roll out its second generation iPad mini this month as planned and let customers deal with the shortage of devices. Alternately, Apple could forgo a Retina-class display and save that upgrad for another time, a decision Google and Amazon would be thrilled with. There's also a third option -- delay the launch and miss out on the holiday shopping spree.
None of those options are particularly appealing, though that's the situation Apple finds itself in. Ditching a Retina-class upgrade is probably the least likely route since the competition has come out with high resolution tablets, and those tablets are generally cheaper to boot, giving companies like Amazon definitive bragging rights in at least two categories.
LG, Samsung, and Sharp are all interesting in building Retina-class panels for Apple's iPad mini tablet, so it's unclear why there's a delay in manufacturing. One of the theories floating about is that Apple's certification process, which includes stringent power requirements, is holding things up. Apple's also said to have urged suppliers to reduce costs.
This puts Apple in a bit of a pickle. The Cupertino company could roll out its second generation iPad mini this month as planned and let customers deal with the shortage of devices. Alternately, Apple could forgo a Retina-class display and save that upgrad for another time, a decision Google and Amazon would be thrilled with. There's also a third option -- delay the launch and miss out on the holiday shopping spree.
None of those options are particularly appealing, though that's the situation Apple finds itself in. Ditching a Retina-class upgrade is probably the least likely route since the competition has come out with high resolution tablets, and those tablets are generally cheaper to boot, giving companies like Amazon definitive bragging rights in at least two categories.
LG, Samsung, and Sharp are all interesting in building Retina-class panels for Apple's iPad mini tablet, so it's unclear why there's a delay in manufacturing. One of the theories floating about is that Apple's certification process, which includes stringent power requirements, is holding things up. Apple's also said to have urged suppliers to reduce costs.
