by If there’s any one reason to look forward to the (possible) upcoming release announcements reportedly scheduled for October 22, it’s to get a look at the anticipated new iPad minis with Retina display that so many Apple enthusiasts have wanted for so long. But according to Macotakara (via 9to5 Mac), that Retina display could also leave us with a slightly thicker iPad mini.
On the bright side, it’s so negligible that it may not be apparent to the naked eye. This is nothing new, as the full-sized iPad itself grew slightly larger once it contained the new display, and in that case, it became slightly heavier as well. Representatives of Japan’s Macotakara traveled to China to get their hands on alleged cases for this units, and found them about 0.2mm wider than the current iPad mini, and 7.5mm thick.
Source: Zol.com.cn
For comparison, the existing iPad mini has a thickness of 7.2mm and a width of 134.77mm. 9to5 Mac notes that this difference is so small, in fact, that it may be possible to attribute it to “imperfect information from the case-makers” (which has apparently happened before).
But then, it may also mean that Apple’s putting more into the device. Currently, Retina displays seem to necessitate a thicker unit to compensate for the larger battery, the size of which is meant to maintain the same battery life as non-Retina models. The microphone, too, is expected to move as well, and the cases on display suggest it will be located toward the rear of the unit.
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