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Rumor: LG to ship Retina displays for next-gen iPad mini ahead of October debut

Adding to the mounting pile of iPad mini rumors, a report from the Far East on Friday claims Apple supplier LG is preparing to ship millions of panels bound for a rumored Retina display version of the device, suggesting the tablet may see a fourth quarter launch.

Flip-flopping on a report from Monday, the hit-or-miss DigiTimes now expects Apple to launch a Retina display-toting iPad mini in 2013, citing industry insiders who claim LG is "making new headway" in producing the high-resolution panels for the tablet. LG is reportedly looking to ship two to three million units per month ahead of an October release, these people said.

Adding to the report, the South Korean company's display arm is supposedly planning to ship 2.5 to 3 million 9.7-inch panels a month for the iPad, with 1 to 2 million earmarked for a next-gen version of Apple's full-size tablet. Further, sources claim the fifth-generation iPad is to be thinner and lighter than existing versions, and will use a single LED backlight bar, rather than the existing two-module configuration.

The latest rumblings over the Pad mini come just four days after the publication cited other supply chain sources in a report claiming the device would merely see a redesign for 2013, with a Retina model to come sometime in 2014. A separate report from China's Economic Daily News last week seconded the rumor, contradicting various reports indicating Apple was pushing for a fall release.