Leaked images supposedly show off parts of a Retina iPad mini

Images posted to a Chinese Internet forum on Thursday show what is claimed to be the rear casing for an iPad mini with a high-density retina screen.

The images, which emerged first on Weiphone, show what looks like the rear case for an iPad mini. Notably, the writing and logo on the case are bright blue, where current mini models have black or silver detailing.

The parts shown in the images also appear to be thicker than current builds for the iPad mini. This fact is the cause of speculation that these pictures show off components from a forthcoming Retina iPad mini.

When Apple improved the resolution on the full-size iPad to Retina quality, the device wound up somewhat thicker than its predecessor so as to accommodate the bigger battery necessary to power the Retina screen. It is likely that a Retina iPad mini will have to undergo the same design modifications.

An iPad mini with Retina display has been expected from Apple essentially since the company revealed the current model, which sports the same resolution as the iPad 2. Currently, rumors suggest that the next mini will pack a 324ppi display. Bringing Retina to the device, though, will not be cheap. Observers estimate that doing so will add 30 percent to the total cost of the device.