DigiTimes: minor iPad mini refresh this year, ‘almost bezel-free’ Retina version in 2014

iPad (two-up, iPad, iPad mini, hand)

We’ve already heard from multiple sources that Apple is still ‘adjusting’  new iPad mini, with alleged panel shortages pushing a Retina iPad mini 2 into 2014 and prompting Apple to ready a minor update this year until the Retina version with a faster chip is ready next year. A new report out this morning from Taiwan adds more color to these rumors.

For starters, the Retina iPad mini is said to be “almost bezel-free,” which will allow for a bigger viewing area.

A slightly updated model should be expected in the fourth quarter of this year and is said to be “lighter, thinner and equipped with improved specifications,” which probably includes a faster chip than the A5 package found inside the current iPad mini model…

Quoting industry supply chain sources, DigiTimes reported:

Apple is reportedly aiming to use Retina panel technology equipped with 2,048 by 1,536 resolution in the next generation 7.9-inch iPad mini. Apple is also said to be revising the design of the chassis to give the next-generation iPad mini an almost bezel-free look.

The publication states a fifth-generation 9.7-inch iPad is stating production in small amounts this month, with volume shipments (2-3 million units) expected in August and September.

“As of October, shipments of the device are expected to increase another 25-30 percent,” sources told DigiTimes.

Like the iPad mini 2, the iPad 5 is said to also feature an almost bezel-free look, in addition to the thin-film touch screen technology “which will be able to reduce the weight of the device by 20-30 percent”.

DigiTimes is infamous for its mixed track report so apply some skepticism here. In a previous report, it claimed the iPad 5 will sport an optimized battery, potentially allowing for more than ten hours of runtime on a single charge.