iPad Mini: Apple to Unveil Smaller Tablet on October 17 [Report]

After much fanfare, Apple uncovered the much anticipated and highly rumored iPhone 5, the sixth generation iPhone with the iOS 6 platform. The iPhone 5 was also released in several markets including US, UK, Australia, Singapore and many others.

In the meantime, sudden several reports claim that the iPad Mini will be unveiled on October 17 and that the invites will be sent out starting October 10.

According to a report by Fortune, an investor with knowledge on the subject has revealed that Apple will launch an affordable and smaller iPad called iPad Mini ahead of the holiday season.

The report continues stating that a special event will be held on October 17 and the invitations for the same are expected to be sent out to the tech media world on October 10.

However, this is a rumor and Apple seems to remain tight-lipped as usual. If Apple unveils the smaller tablet on October 17 as rumored, it will go on sale in selected markets starting from October 26.

Going by the lines of earlier reports, image and design leaks, iPad Mini will have slimmer side bezels, separate volume buttons, two front cameras, same form factor as the iPod Touch, 7.2 to 7.3 inch thick and possibility of LTE connectivity. However, these are rumored features and they are not confirmed by Apple.

When it comes to its pricing, analysts assume the iPad Mini to be priced at $299 (approx. Rs 16,000), which will create an impact on the sales of the new Amazon Kindle Fires and Google Nexus 7, the two 7 inch Android tablets priced around the range of $199.