iPad Mini with Retina Display Release Date: What Buyers Need to Know

Another week in the books and another week without an iPad mini with Retina Display release date. Those uninterested in the iPad Air are likely getting antsy given that Apple confirmed the release date for later in November and here, we take a look at everything that buyers need to know as we wait for Apple to make an announcement.

In late October, Apple took the stage in San Francisco and announced a host of brand new products including OS X Mavericks, a new MacBook Pro, the new Mac Pro, and two brand new iPads in the iPad Air and the iPad mini with Retina Display. Some of those products are already out including the OS X Mavericks update, the MacBook Pro and the iPad Air, the latter of which rolled out last Friday.

Consumers are still waiting for the new Mac Pro and the iPad mini with Retina Display to arrive and while Apple has committed to releasing them this year, it hasn’t announced specific release dates. That doesn’t mean that we aren’t getting any closer to their release.

In fact, the iPad mini with Retina Display release date is getting closer as we move deeper and deeper into the month of November. Apple doesn’t make promises that it can’t keep and we fully expect the company to deliver the device before the holiday shopping season kicks into gear. While we haven’t seen a ton of developments ahead of the iPad mini with Retina Display release, Apple itself hasn’t announced anything, we do have some clues and some idea about when we will see the device and what might happen when the device does arrive.

Here, ahead of its release date, we take a look at the most important things that prospective iPad mini with Retina Display buyers need to know.

One Release Date Rumor

The first thing that prospective buyers need to know is that we’ve only encountered one release date rumor thus far. That rumor, a leak from Target, suggests that the iPad mini with Retina Display will land on November 21st, a Thursday.

It could be that this is the only iPad mini with Retina Display release date rumor that emerges ahead of Apple’s announcement. We have seen virtually no leaks in the weeks after Apple’s announcement, something that is both good and bad. Good, because it means that things haven’t changed and bad, because there is literally no information out there for buyers.

For what it’s worth, Gotta Be Mobile has heard whispers about “late November” though that’s exactly what Apple has alluded to with its “later in November” release date. So, at this point, there is a good chance we won’t see anything until Apple itself confirms a date.

Two Release Date Theories

There are, however, two credible release date theories that we have put forward this week. At this point, we don’t believe the rumored November 21st release date for the simple fact that Apple loves to release devices on Friday. That, in our opinion, makes November 15th and November 22nd far more likely than November 21st.

November 22nd seems more likely at this point given Apple’s stance on the release date. So, at this point, buyers should know that the release date could be two weeks from arriving. There is no way that Apple misses out on November and chances of a Black Friday release are slim to none. Apple will want to be prepared before that day arrives.

Apple Will Give Advanced Warning

That said, buyers should know that Apple will announce an iPad mini with Retina Display release date ahead of the big day to give consumers some time to prepare. Apple likes to give its customers fair warning. In the past, we’ve seen the company confirm release dates the week of the release date and it’s possible that that is what Apple will do here with the iPad mini with Retina Display.

We wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple announce the release date on the Monday or Tuesday, the company likes Tuesdays, before the release date. That would leave buyers with a week to prepare for midnight orders and early store openings. Many people are going to plan their day around this release so it’s important that Apple gives them ample time to make their preparations.

iPad mini Supply Issues All but Confirmed

The only recent chatter that we’ve seen about the iPad mini with Retina Display has nothing to do with its release date but with the supply issues that could strike once the device is released. According to a new report from ETNews, the iPad mini with Retina Display delay into late November is because of issues that Sharp, Apple’s main display supplier, has been having issues.

Specifically, it appears that it’s dealing with a burn-in issue with its TFT displays and because of those issues, the company has seen an extremely low yield ahead of the release. This is not the first time that we’ve heard about iPad mini display issues but it could be the last. At this point, it’s clear that Apple is having issues making the iPad mini with Retina Display and we should see massive shortages strike when it does go on sale.

These rumors mean that buyers need to be prepared to buy the iPad mini with Retina on day one or risk not getting one in time for the holidays. We should see supply issues stick around through 2013. Know that this is going to be a bumpy launch.