Seriously, everyone take a deep breath. The amount of hysteria on this forum over a slight difference in color reproduction has reached ridiculous levels. Now, before you all start flaming me and saying everyone was misled by Apple, please consider the following points.
First, Apple has not once claimed that the retina mini has the same color gamut as the iPhone 5/5s or iPad 3/4/Air. If you go back and watch the keynote (I did), you will hear Phil Schiller talk about how the pixels are so small you can't distinguish them and about how text is as sharp as in a finely printed newspaper. But he never says that it has full sRGB color reproduction (something Apple did point out in both the iPad 3 and iPhone 5 keynotes). Similarly, if you look at Apple's iPad mini webpage, you will not find any claims that the iPad mini has a full sRGB color gamut there either. Now, you could argue that Apple is being misleading by saying it has a retina display. But, a closer examination of the history behind the term debunks that claim (see my next point below).
Second, the term "retina display" has never referred to the color reproduction of a given screen. If you go back and watch Steve Jobs introduce the first retina display on the iPhone 4, you hear him explain that a retina display is one where the pixels are so dense that the human eye cannot distinguish them when the device is held at a normal viewing distance. He never mentions color reproduction, yet the iPhone 4 was advertised as having a retina display. Is anyone disputing that? The new retina iPad mini has the same pixel density as every retina iPhone. Are you saying it's not a retina device?
This brings me to my third point. The iPhone 4 and 4S (as well as the iPad and iPad 2) had color gamuts that were very similar to what we are seeing on the iPad mini (both versions). Anandtech discusses this in several reviews (1, 2, 3). Yet, before the iPad 3, everyone thought the color reproduction of Apple's screens was just fine. Why is it suddenly unacceptable for Apple not to use a full sRGB panel? They still sell the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Are these devices unacceptable too? Again, Apple never claimed that the retina mini has full sRGB coverage.
I can understand why people are disappointed. Like most others, I assumed that a retina mini would get a display with the same color gamut as the larger iPads. But, Apple is not responsible for my assumptions, especially when they did not claim the screen would have the same color reproduction as the Air. If Schiller had gotten up there and said the retina mini would have a full sRGB panel and then tests showed that not to be case, we would all have the right to be angry. But, we are all getting worked up because Apple didn't deliver something they never promised us (we only assumed that they would). You all are welcome to still be angry. It's really not Apple's fault though. They aren't responsible for your assumptions, and they won't be making a change to the screen until they release a new model next year (and maybe not even then).
If you are still one of the people angry over all this, there is good news. You have options! Apple has a (rather generous) return policy that will allow you to return your iPad mini any time between now and January 7. That means you could take almost 2 whole months to figure out if you can live with colors that are not quite as saturated as on the iPad Air and still return your mini for a full refund. If color reproduction is that important to you, you are welcome to buy the full size iPad or one of the many Android tablets on the market. Nobody is forcing you to use the mini.
Personally, I think the colors on the retina mini are just fine. Are they as saturated as on my iPhone 5? No, and nobody is claiming they are. Does it make a real difference in my overall user experience on the device? Not really. I'm not a professional photographer or videographer who needs a completely color-accurate panel. I mainly use my mini for reading newspapers and books, browsing the web, playing music, and watching the occasional movie or playing the occasional game. The retina mini excels at all these tasks. I care much more that the words are crisp in the pages of text I read on the screen each day than I do that the reds in a picture aren't quite as bright as they might be.
Obviously, that last paragraph is just my opinion. The screen is fine for me. It may not be fine for you. If it isn't, you are welcome to return your iPad. But all this complaining has gotten way out of hand and isn't going to force Apple to fix something they never promised to begin with. When you take a step back, I think it's pretty clear that the retina mini is a truly remarkable device. I'm thrilled to own one.
First, Apple has not once claimed that the retina mini has the same color gamut as the iPhone 5/5s or iPad 3/4/Air. If you go back and watch the keynote (I did), you will hear Phil Schiller talk about how the pixels are so small you can't distinguish them and about how text is as sharp as in a finely printed newspaper. But he never says that it has full sRGB color reproduction (something Apple did point out in both the iPad 3 and iPhone 5 keynotes). Similarly, if you look at Apple's iPad mini webpage, you will not find any claims that the iPad mini has a full sRGB color gamut there either. Now, you could argue that Apple is being misleading by saying it has a retina display. But, a closer examination of the history behind the term debunks that claim (see my next point below).
Second, the term "retina display" has never referred to the color reproduction of a given screen. If you go back and watch Steve Jobs introduce the first retina display on the iPhone 4, you hear him explain that a retina display is one where the pixels are so dense that the human eye cannot distinguish them when the device is held at a normal viewing distance. He never mentions color reproduction, yet the iPhone 4 was advertised as having a retina display. Is anyone disputing that? The new retina iPad mini has the same pixel density as every retina iPhone. Are you saying it's not a retina device?
This brings me to my third point. The iPhone 4 and 4S (as well as the iPad and iPad 2) had color gamuts that were very similar to what we are seeing on the iPad mini (both versions). Anandtech discusses this in several reviews (1, 2, 3). Yet, before the iPad 3, everyone thought the color reproduction of Apple's screens was just fine. Why is it suddenly unacceptable for Apple not to use a full sRGB panel? They still sell the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Are these devices unacceptable too? Again, Apple never claimed that the retina mini has full sRGB coverage.
I can understand why people are disappointed. Like most others, I assumed that a retina mini would get a display with the same color gamut as the larger iPads. But, Apple is not responsible for my assumptions, especially when they did not claim the screen would have the same color reproduction as the Air. If Schiller had gotten up there and said the retina mini would have a full sRGB panel and then tests showed that not to be case, we would all have the right to be angry. But, we are all getting worked up because Apple didn't deliver something they never promised us (we only assumed that they would). You all are welcome to still be angry. It's really not Apple's fault though. They aren't responsible for your assumptions, and they won't be making a change to the screen until they release a new model next year (and maybe not even then).
If you are still one of the people angry over all this, there is good news. You have options! Apple has a (rather generous) return policy that will allow you to return your iPad mini any time between now and January 7. That means you could take almost 2 whole months to figure out if you can live with colors that are not quite as saturated as on the iPad Air and still return your mini for a full refund. If color reproduction is that important to you, you are welcome to buy the full size iPad or one of the many Android tablets on the market. Nobody is forcing you to use the mini.
Personally, I think the colors on the retina mini are just fine. Are they as saturated as on my iPhone 5? No, and nobody is claiming they are. Does it make a real difference in my overall user experience on the device? Not really. I'm not a professional photographer or videographer who needs a completely color-accurate panel. I mainly use my mini for reading newspapers and books, browsing the web, playing music, and watching the occasional movie or playing the occasional game. The retina mini excels at all these tasks. I care much more that the words are crisp in the pages of text I read on the screen each day than I do that the reds in a picture aren't quite as bright as they might be.
Obviously, that last paragraph is just my opinion. The screen is fine for me. It may not be fine for you. If it isn't, you are welcome to return your iPad. But all this complaining has gotten way out of hand and isn't going to force Apple to fix something they never promised to begin with. When you take a step back, I think it's pretty clear that the retina mini is a truly remarkable device. I'm thrilled to own one.
