Amid Production Rumors, Will iPad Mini Debut Soon?
Published at | Updated at
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — After months of rumors about an iPad Mini, new reports suggest that the launch of the long-speculated tablet is close.
Fortune‘s Philip Elmer-DeWitt has reported that Apple is planning to send out press invitations to an event on Oct. 10. Apple typically sends invites out close to a week before the events, which would put the event at Oct. 17. The tablet itself would go on sale on Nov. 2, DeWitt reports. ABC News previously reported that Apple would hold an iPad Mini launch event in October.
On the heels of that rumor, The Wall Street Journal has reported that the production on the smaller tablet has begun. As previously rumored, the tablet will have a 7.85-inch display with a lower resolution than the current iPad, which has a 9.7-inch Retina display. The Journal reports that LG began mass production of the screens last month.
And then there have been leaked images that would point to the smaller tablet having 3G and 4G cellular capabilities and an aluminum body. It is expected that the tablet would also use the new Lightning connector found on the iPhone 5.
Last month Amazon released its new Kindle Fire HD, which starts at $199. Similarly, Google and Asus launched the Nexus 7 in June for $199. Barnes & Noble released the Nook HD last week, which — you guessed it — starts at $199. There have been no reports on the pricing of an iPad Mini.
Apple’s Trudy Muller declined to comment on any of the rumors when reached by ABC News.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio