There’s a huge amount of interest in the Apple iPad mini 2 tablet that is due to release later this year, much of it concerning whether it will or will not have a Retina display. We have seen conflicting leaks and reports on this for many months now, and frankly none of us will be sure until Apple officially announces the device. However the news that Samsung is supplying iPad Mini 2 displays has added to the Retina display debate once more.

We know from responses to our previous posts about the iPad mini 2 that many of our readers would be exceptionally disappointed if it arrives without a Retina display. At one time this seemed like a sure thing but rumors have varied so widely that it’s been a somewhat moveable feast to pin down. For instance, several weeks ago we told readers about a report suggesting that an iPad mini with Retina display would not now release until 2014 because of problems sourcing enough of the required display panels.

Just a few days later we saw a new report published by the same source that completely contradicted the earlier report and said that LG was a supplier for Retina panels for the second-generation iPad mini that would arrive in October. Following this, only last week we heard that pointers in iOS 7 SDK showed that an iPad mini WITHOUT a Retina display was being tested by Apple.

However, the very next day we informed readers of a new report saying that Samsung had been added to LG and Sharp as a supplier of Retina displays for the iPad mini 2. Maybe you’re as confused as us? The addition of Samsung as a supplier for display panels has come as rather a surprise, considering that for some time now it has seemed as though Apple has been attempting to distance itself from using Samsung components.

Now NPD DisplaySearch says that during April and June Samsung supplied more of the display panels for the iPad 4 than LG Display. These panels are 9.7-inches in size and it seems that Apple display orders from Samsung have increased since January. It’s also confirmed that Samsung will supply 7.9-inch panels for the iPad mini 2, as reported by CNet, but the new report states that it’s not yet clear whether these will be Retina displays or not.

Once again the latest news contradicts the previous news we heard that said Samsung would be supplying Retina displays for the iPad mini 2, and throws the whole debate wide open again. We are bound to hear more conjecture on this as we get closer to the formal unveiling of the iPad mini 2, but as we said previously, it’s unlikely that any of us will know for sure until Apple chooses to announce the device.

Of course we’ll be following all of the news and further developments of the iPad mini 2, as we know that this is a device that many of our readers are waiting for. In the meantime though, we’d like to hear what you have to say about a Retina display for the iPad mini 2. Is this a deal breaker for you? Let us know by sending your comments.