iPad mini coming soon: invitations set to be mailed out Oct. 10!

This is a rumor we have no reason to believe except it comes from a major Apple (AAPL) investor who says he’s heard it from “multiple sources.”

According to our source, who asked not be named, there appears to be some truth to the widespread rumors that Apple is preparing to launch a smaller and cheaper version of the iPad — often called the iPad mini or iPad air and usually described as having a 7.85-inch screen.

What our source adds is the specificity of a date: The press, he says, can expect invitations to go out on Oct. 10.

If the rumor is true, and if Apple follows its usual scheduling protocol, that would suggest a special event to unveil the product on Wednesday, Oct. 17, with a launch day of Friday Nov. 2 — plenty of time to capture holiday sales.

Apple has not commented on the rumor, which is not surprising given that the company has never uttered a word  in public — one way or the other — about its future tablet product plans.

That would suggest an Oct. 17 unveiling with sales to begin in early November

Apple to launch iPad mini?

New Delhi: The buzz in the air has it that Apple has been developing a smaller iPad — which many have been referring to as the iPad mini.

Last week, a website published images of its own iPad mini mockups and its take on the device is indeed beautiful.

At the moment, the verdict regarding Apple’s iPad mini seems to be fractured with multitudes of people taking the side of both the possibilities: Apple launching mini iPad and the other one being the device not seeing the light of the day.

Those arguing against Apple launching iPad mini use the tech giant’s transcending iconic figure, Steve Jobs to drive home their point. Many say that Jobs didn’t like the idea and considered the 10-inch form factor was the “minimum” requirement for tablet apps.

At the archeleon of his career, Jobs in October 2010 said “The 10-inch screen size is the minimum size required to create great tablet apps. Seven-inch tablets are tweeners: too big to compete with a smartphone, and too small to compete with an iPad.”

However, the bottom line is that Jobs’ comments made more than a year and half ago, should not be considered the definitive word on the subject. Just because it didn’t make sense then doesn’t mean that it doesn’t make sense to launch an iPad mini now.

With Google breathing beneath the neck of Apple in terms of worldwide market share of Android-based tablets, from sources it is learnt that the latter is contemplating to make its mark in the Asian market and retain its position through ‘Apple iPad mini’.