Apple Note to Service Providers Claims November 12 Launch for Retina iPad MiniApple will launch its long awaited Retina iPad mini on November 12, according to multiple sources citing a posting by Apple on the company's GSX site for service providers. Apple plans to launch the tablet in the United States, Australia, China (Wi-Fi only), Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore. While a release time beyond 'November 12' was unavailable, Apple has previously launched its products via press release at around 5:30 AM. It is possible that the company will notify consumers of the mini's availability with a press release before initiating sales in-store and online. It is, however, already November 12 in a number of countries around the world, including New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Japan. While the quiet release of an iPad is unusual for the company, it could be due to reports of severe supply constraints of the Retina iPad mini. According to reports, display problems have caused serious production issues, and it is unlikely Apple will have enough supply of the tablet to meet demand. Apple's Retina iPad mini has the same general design of the original mini, though it is slightly heavier and thicker. The tablet includes a Retina display with a 2048 x 1536 resolution, along with an A7 processor and the M7 coprocessor originally introduced in the iPhone 5s. The Retina iPad mini will retail for $399 for the entry-level 16 GB Wi-Fi model with an extra $100 for each capacity increment and $130 for cellular connectivity. Update: All of Apple's online stores around the world have gone offline. It is unclear, however, if the downtime is related to preparations for a Retina iPad mini launch or simply scheduled maintenance that commonly occurs at this time of day. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Releases Xcode 5.0.2 With Bug Fixes • Pebble Smart Watch Update With Support for iOS 7 Notifications Now Live • Tweetbot 3 Updated With Right Swipe Gesture, Text Resizing and More • 2K Sports Releases 'MyNBA2K14' Companion App for 'NBA 2K14' • 'Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft' iOS App Coming in Second Half of 2014 • iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c Tempting Fewer Early Upgraders • Australian Vodafone Store Evacuated After Demo iPad 'Explosion' • Apple Releases iBooks 1.0.1 for Mac With Bug Fixes, Stability Improvements
http://www.macrumors.com/2013/11/11/apple-to-launch-retina-ipad-mini-on-november-12/
