One of the most widely-speculated aspects of the upcoming iPad mini refresh is whether or not the device will sport a Retina display, which was absent from the first version of the device. Today the Wall Street Journal weighed in on the matter, claiming to have been told by its "people familiar with the matter" that Apple's suppliers will begin mass production of a Retina display-equipped iPad mini in the fourth quarter of this year. The tipsters add that while Apple had initially planned on using displays from Sharp and LG Display, it decided to tap Samsung as well to ensure that it would have a large enough supply of screens.
As for the rest of this refreshed iPad mini, the WSJ says that the size of the unit will likely be similar to the existing model, which sports a 7.9-inch display. The sources of today's report claim that Apple is considering adding multiple color options to the device's back cover, likely similar to the backsides of the latest iPod touch, which is available in black, silver, pink, yellow, blue and red. There's no mention of which colors Apple is contemplating for the iPad mini.
It's worth noting that Apple often tests out different product features and designs, and so it can be difficult to figure out exactly which products that it's actually planning to launch. Interestingly, today's report comes hot on the heels of the discovery of references to a new, non-Retina mini in the iOS 7 beta code. It's possible that that was an old testing unit and that Apple is planning to equip its next iPad mini with a Retina display. For now we'll just have to take all of these reports with a grain or two of salt and wait for Tim Cook and Co. to whip out the next iPad mini on stage.
