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Analyst cryptically notes that iPad Mini gen-2 is 'pulled in'

Fresh speculation arrives about the next iPad Mini and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4 via an analyst's missives from Asia.

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Brooke Crothers Former CNET contributor
Brooke Crothers writes about mobile computer systems, including laptops, tablets, smartphones: how they define the computing experience and the hardware that makes them tick. He has served as an editor at large at CNET News and a contributing reporter to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. His interest in things small began when living in Tokyo in a very small apartment for a very long time.
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Brooke Crothers
iPad Mini. Chip companies are already gearing up for the next iPad Mini.
iPad Mini. Chip companies are already gearing up for the next iPad Mini. Apple

Chipmakers are preparing for the second-generation iPad Mini and Samsung is on track for a phone with a bendable display and possibly an early intro of the Galaxy S4, according to a research note from RBC Capital Markets.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Doug Freedman -- who is in China visiting chip companies this week -- offered this ambiguous Apple note: "iPad Mini Gen-2: Apple's gen-2 iPad mini is getting pulled-in, and is likely to have several new suppliers, with TXN gaining content."

"Pulled in" would seem to imply that Apple is moving up introduction of the next iPad Mini. That would be helpful if we knew when the gen 2 Mini was actually slated to ship in the first place. As the current iPad Mini is still in short supply, we may be getting a little ahead of ourselves.

TXN refers to Texas Instruments, which has supplied components to iPads in the past, including relatively obscure silicon like touchscreen line drivers.

What may be more interesting is his comment about Samsung's future displays and future phones.

"Samsung handset road-map: Samsung display will be ready to ship unbreakable plastic substrate screen by 2q end, with bendable in 2h13," he wrote, referring to the second quarter and second half of 2013, respectively.

Samsung talked about phone with bendable screens as recently as last month.

And what about that the Galaxy 4? "Galaxy 4 likely ships a month early if carriers want it at end of March, [semiconductor companies]...support will start mid-Feb," he wrote.