Rumor: Apple's iPad Mini Launch Event on October 17

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An unnamed Apple investor said the company will mail out invitations on October 10.

Fortune reports that Apple plans to mail out invitations to the press on October 10 for a special event taking place on October 17. This is supposedly when Apple plans to reveal the much-rumored 7-inch iPad Mini tablet which, according to a previous report, may be a scaled down version of the 2nd-generation iPad 2 launched earlier this year.

Fortune makes it clear that this bit of news isn't set in stone, but rather stems from a major Apple investor who asked not to be named (naturally). It makes sense that an actual investor would spread such a rumor given that it will likely raise Apple shares. It would also make sense that Apple would reveal a 7.85-inch tablet this month given that Google, Amazon and Barnes & Noble have finally revealed their hands in the 7-inch tablet space.

Fortune speculates that the iPad Mini will launch on Friday, November 2 given that the tablet will be revealed on October 17. While that could indeed be the case, Apple may very well launch its tablet around October 26 to rain on Microsoft's Windows 8 launch parade. What better way to undercut Microsoft's own Surface than to launch a cheap, 7-inch version of the tablet sector's current flagship?

Last month an iOS developer noticed references to the iPad Mini in device stats produced by his app, Instapaper. "One iPad2,5 and one iPad2,6," said Marco Arment. "These device models, as reported by the OS, could be faked by a jailbreaker with enough free time. But I’ve never had a device show up there that didn’t end up being a real, about-to-be-released Apple device. iPad2,4 is the 32-nm die-shrunk update that quietly replaced the 16 GB Wi-Fi iPad 2 when the iPad 3 was released."

He theorized that the iPad2,5 and iPad 2,6 references could be "boring GSM and CDMA versions" of the recent die-shrunk iPad 2 so that it's not only available in a Wi-Fi model, bringing lower costs to the other iPad 2 configurations that are still for sale. Yet introducing these two iPad 2 models so late in the game would be a really strange move on Apple's part.

Instead, the entries likely refer to Wi-Fi and GSM versions of the iPad Mini. Even more, the CDMA version will likely be iPad2,7 if and when it's introduced.

Naturally Apple has declined on the report.

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Kevin Parrish
16 Comments Comment from the forums
  • boiler1990
    Yet introducing these two iPad 2 models so late in the game would be a really strange move on Apple's part.

    Immediately my thought. Other than targeting W8 tablets, why wait? It would have been smarter to release in Sept with the iPhone prior to a W8 release since people would buy up tablets and not have a need to buy another tablet.
    Reply
  • PTNLemay
    Here's what I see happening between now and the end of the year... (pure conjecture on my part, feel free to mock me when all my predictions turn out to be false).

    Microsoft will introduce their Windows RT tablet for 499$ in the hopes of competing with the iPad. They will also have their full Windows 8 tablets for around 800$, and then premium Windows 8 tablets with better CPUs and bigger capacity SSDs for well over 1000$. In contrast Apple will unveil an iPad mini for around 300$, their regular 10-inch 16GB introductory model for 499$, and then the bigger 64GB models for 700$. Bringing up the low end we'll have Androids like the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fires that offer a decent tablet experience for between 150$ - 400$.

    This places Apple in a very comfortable middle ground, and places Microsoft in a very difficult position if they're trying to push their experimental Metro-style OS onto people. For Microsoft's sake I do hope I'm wrong.
    Reply
  • robochump
    Im not too hot on the idea of an iPad mini. Though this may be a best suited for kids/teens so gotta make them tough! lol Currently the size of my iPad is perfect.
    Reply
  • LukeCWM
    boiler1990Immediately my thought. Other than targeting W8 tablets, why wait? It would have been smarter to release in Sept with the iPhone prior to a W8 release since people would buy up tablets and not have a need to buy another tablet.I believe they were holding off the iPad Mini press release so as not to steal thunder from the iPhone5.
    Reply
  • XZaapryca
    robochumpIm not too hot on the idea of an iPad mini. Though this may be a best suited for kids/teens so gotta make them tough! lol Currently the size of my iPad is perfect.A 3g 7" ipad would be a great phone (using voip) for us big guys with old eyes. I was palming a 7" Galaxy Tab and thought it was very comfortable in my hand.
    Reply
  • greghome
    XZaaprycaA 3g 7" ipad would be a great phone (using voip) for us big guys with old eyes. I was palming a 7" Galaxy Tab and thought it was very comfortable in my hand.
    Get a samsung note 10.1 , 10 inches !! :D
    http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxynote/note_10.1/specifications.html?type=find

    You wouldn't have to worry, even if you're the Hulk :P


    Reply
  • I already have amini Ipad, its called the Galaxy Note.
    Reply
  • LordConrad
    "Instead, the entries likely refer to Wi-Fi and GSM versions of the iPad Mini. Even more, the CDMA version will likely be iPad2,7 if and when it's introduced."

    Why couldn't the iPad 2,6 be a universal mobile device? My Verizon iPad 3 (yes, I called it an iPad 3) works on either GSM or CDMA.
    Reply
  • elevatorlaissez15
    A 3g 7" ipad would be a great phone (using voip) for us big guys with old eyes. I was palming a 7" Galaxy Tab and thought it was very comfortable in my hand. http://goo.gl/inbnz
    Reply
  • gfair
    soldier2013I already have amini Ipad, its called the Galaxy Note.
    Great, then you must be enjoying the iOS ecosphere... oh, wait, you can't.
    Reply