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Apple will launch a thinner variant of the iPad and an iPad mini with a high-resolution Retina screen, The Wall Street Journal reports citing info from Apple's parts suppliers.

According to the report, the new iPad will have a thin film instead of glass, which will let Apple make the device thinner than the current one. There is no specific info about the Retina iPad mini, except that it will use a high-resolution display.

The report is interesting because we've lately seen quite a few reports that claim we will not see the Retina iPad mini until early 2014, due to the supply of 7.9-inch high-res display being limited. It's possible that Apple will announce the device on Tuesday, but delay the launch for a later date. Also, some reports suggest Apple will introduce the Retina iPad mini, but continue selling the original variant as well.

Besides the iPads, Apple is also expected (or rumored) to reveal a host of other features and products on Tuesday — new MacBook Pros, Mac Pro, new versions of iLife and iWork and the Mac mini are all good bets.

Facebook debuted the new look of its dedicated Messenger app on Android last week and and just as promised, now it's available on the iPhone as well. Facebook Messenger 2.0 brings a new SMS-style bubble layout to conversations, a swipe left gesture to reveal one's friends list and the ability to push the friends you message most to the top of the list. As mentioned along with the Android update this is a part of a new release schedule cycle that should see updates arriving every 4 - 8 weeks. That means you can mark your calendar for the next refresh if this is your social network of choice, but for now just grab the latest version from iTunes.

Right around 20 days after iOS 6 beta 3 was beamed out to developers, beta 4 is now making its way into those same hands via an OTA download. We've just confirmed that the files are indeed being pushed out, with the changelog showing fixes related to Facebook integration, the Address Book, authorization statues, and Apple TV / Bonjour workflows. You'll also get a patched-up Dictionary, iTunes and Maps, amongst other things. The entire list of updates is embedded after the break, but we'd recommend a stiff cup of coffee before trying to digest 'em all.

Update: For the eagle-eyed, yes, this update does indeed remove the YouTube app from the iOS homescreen. If you're out of the loop, Google owns YouTube. And Apple hasn't shied away from doing its best to distance iOS from Googlefied apps...