Upcoming Retina iPad Mini could face supply shortage

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Supply chain sources claim that only limited quantities of a Retina iPad Mini could be made available this year, blaming strict power-saving requirements for the delay.

Omar Qudsi, Published 10/02/2013

Apple Tablet

The launch date for the new iPads has been roughly estimated to be sometime around mid-October, but with that date quickly approaching we have yet to even see a glimpse of invites from Apple. Sadly, the launch may not make it in time for the holiday season, as the company's supply chain could be unable to meet demand.

According to Reuters, Apple's supply sources have just now begun production of the high-resolution Retina display that is expected to grace the upcoming iPad Mini, casting doubts into the device's availability. The same sources claim that the device would only be available in limited quantities this year, citing Apple's strict power-saving requirements as the reason for the delay.

Google and Amazon have both announced their own high-resolution 7" tablets with the new Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX, yet Apple's iPad Mini still sits at a mere 1024x768 pixels. Apple's course of action with the shortage is yet unclear, but they could make the device available in limited quantities initially or even wait till January to launch, forgoing the holiday-season altogether.