Apple is reportedly preparing to send out official invitations for an event on October 17th in San Francisco where the company is widely expected to introduce the oft-rumored iPad Mini.
According to Philip Elmer-DeWitt of Apple 2.0, the e-invites will likely be mailed on Wednesday October 10th, a week before the actual event takes place.
If the above-mentioned timeline is implemented, the iPad Mini could hit physical and virtual Apple shelves by Friday, October 26.
It should be noted that Cupertino has yet to confirm or deny the existence of an iPad Mini, so official specs are obviously non-existent.
Nevertheless, reports from at least several analysts indicate the device will be equipped with a screen measuring 7.85 inches diagonally - which is significantly smaller than the 9.7-inch display found on all iPad models to date.
Additional features are believed to include a smaller bezel around the screen, at least one camera, the new Lightning connector and Apple’s indigenously designed A5X processor.
The new iPad Mini is also likely to boast a lower price point than its larger counterpart, enabling the device to more effectively compete against tablets like Amazon Kindle Fire and B&N’s Nook.
If successful, Apple could then corner the medium-range tablet market, while simultaneously dominating the higher-end tablet space.
