Retina iPad Mini Supplies Improving for Holidays

As numerous potential customers have discovered, the Retina iPad mini has been in very short supply since its quiet launch earlier this month, with Apple reportedly struggling with display yields that have limited production.

retina_ipad_mini_space_gray_silver
Several analysts had previously predicted that Retina iPad mini production would be limited to roughly two million units for the fourth quarter of 2013, but a new report from Digitimes claims that the production issues have been solved and that Apple has forged ahead with orders for four million units for the month of November as the company scrambles to build up its supplies for the holiday shopping season.

As bottlenecks in making components for the iPad mini with Retina have gradually been removed, Apple has increase orders in November to nearly four million units, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.

Currently, Apple's orders for the iPad mini with Retina have already surpassed those for the first-generation iPad mini, the sources noted.

In-store availability of Retina iPad mini models has improved markedly for Apple's U.S. retail stores, with the company starting to offer walk-in sales late last week, although availability of Wi-Fi models remains much stronger than for cellular-capable models. Orders placed through Apple's online store are currently being quoted 5-10 business day shipping estimates for all models.

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

ios 18 4 carplay

iOS 18.4 Includes a Small But Useful Change for CarPlay

Sunday February 23, 2025 2:23 pm PST by
The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay. As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
ios 18 4 ambient music

iOS 18.4 Adds New Ambient Music Feature

Friday February 21, 2025 11:06 am PST by
In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category. You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Alleged Display Sizes Leaked for Apple's Book-Style Foldable iPhone

Friday February 21, 2025 2:14 am PST by
Another week, another alleged leak regarding Apple's fabled foldable iPhone. We've been hearing rumors about an iPhone that folds in half for over eight years now. While they have lacked consistency, they do suggest that Apple has tested various prototypes, with the hinge seemingly the biggest challenge Apple has been trying to overcome. Apple wants to eliminate any crease in the screen before...
iCloud Versus UK Key Feature

Apple Pulls Encrypted iCloud Security Feature in UK Amid Government Backdoor Demands

Friday February 21, 2025 7:17 am PST by
Apple has withdrawn its Advanced Data Protection iCloud feature from the United Kingdom following government demands for backdoor access to encrypted user data, according to Bloomberg. The move comes after UK officials secretly ordered Apple to provide unrestricted access to encrypted iCloud content worldwide. Customers who are already using Advanced Data Protection, or ADP, will need to...
Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches in Europe and Asia

Thursday February 20, 2025 8:55 am PST by
Oppo has launched the Find N5, the world's thinnest foldable phone yet. When closed, the book-style foldable measures 8.93mm. That's less than a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro, and thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which was the previous record holder. The device is barely thicker than its USB-C port. Indeed, Oppo has suggested that the obstacle to making it any thinner is now "the...

Top Rated Comments

AppleWarMachine Avatar
147 months ago
But is the $70 increase worth the difference to some?

I don't see why not :D

And not just for the Retina, but everything else (like 4 times faster)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleVsAndroid Avatar
147 months ago
But the screens.. the screens seems to be bad?

I got one and I love it. Its very easy to hold and use compared to the bigger Air. Depends on what you want!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleMark Avatar
147 months ago
New iPad Mini Retina - Experience

I took delivery of my new iPad Retina today, with the following observations.

I already own a 1st Gen 32GB WIFI iPad mini and upgraded primarily for a larger HD (128GB), cellular & GPS. So, I restored from a back-up so that all the settings, Apps were exactly the same on both devices to be able to make equal comparisons.

1. Firstly, I noticed that the screen compared to my 1st generation is noticeably yellow. In fact my 1st Gen is very much more on the blue / white spectrum and similar to my desktop iMac and cinema displays and white backgrounds look white. The Retina too looked warm (dirty white).

2. I carried out the marco.org image retention test and the Retina failed. The irony is that I carried out the same test on my 1st Gen and although there was some minor retention (mainly around the edges), it faded away quicker. It is worth mentioning that retention was never something I noticed the 10 months I have owned my Mini, until I went looking for it.

Interestingly, I left both iPads on the Apple home page for about 5-10 minutes while I was gauging colour and resolution. On switching to grey on the retention test screen I could clearly see the words iPad Air from the Apple Ad on the home page on the Retina only.

3. The Retina screen itself is a mixed bag for me. For me the resolution is only marginally better overall, possibly exacerbated due to the dirty hue of the 'yellow' screen. Yes it is definitely clearer when you stare closely, or zoom in. However, it is not like my full size iPad where a Retina Screen is a big deal. It is so relatively small that for me it is not a big difference and thankfully not the reason I upgraded. I am guessing that it will be better for watching movies, but I do not do this on my Mini that often myself.

Saying that I cannot accept a screen who's colour balance is not as good as a non-retina screen and has retention issues out of the box.

4. In my real world test's of opening and closing App's and the 'web page racing' I did. I did not appreciate the 4 x speed difference. X2 maybe, but not X4.

It is true to say that if I did not have something to compare it to, it may not have been an issue. But I do and it is. Also based on my experience with early poor iPhone displays, the yellow is too much and will have caught up with me in the end.

Just thought I would share my observations and disappointment. I just cannot believe I waited 2 weeks for this.

My advice to anybody wanting to buy now, is to buy direct from Apple and not an awkward 3rd party retailer. This is because, I will send this back or walk into an Apple store with no questions within 14 days. In the UK, high street stores like Curry's, Argos etc are going to give you a hard time for returning something, with the "fault's" I have observed.

I will try another (if I do not have to wait another 2 weeks...) to see if I get an improved unit, otherwise I will wait for the next update.

I also posted a couple of photo's for anybody who cares. The New Retina is the black device, but of course you know that right...?. Also, I only did the retention test for 5 minutes (for this photo), as I was in a hurry and already carried out the testing previously.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bkushner Avatar
147 months ago
But the screens.. the screens seems to be bad?

No
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dumastudetto Avatar
147 months ago
But the screens.. the screens seems to be bad?

The tiny minority of obsessives are missing out on a great product. I feel sorry for them. But there's no doubt these new Retina iPads are already a phenomenal success story for Apple.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
147 months ago
DigiTimes = random click bait.

They invent hundreds of things--along with some obvious common-sense statements--and a few predictions turn out true by sheer luck. Not many.

You may as well ask an 8-ball as take a DigiTimes "report" seriously.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)