What’s going on with the iPad mini? From all the pictures of supposed components over the months, leading to some fully-assembled mock-ups, it’s been seeming more and more likely that product is real, and will soon be joining Apple’s lineup. Just when will that happen, though? After all, Apple missed its chance to announce the tablet alongside the iPhone 5 last month. A new rumor suggests that invitations to Apple’s grand unveiling will head out in a little over a week.
Supposedly, Apple would distribute said invites on October 10, presumably in anticipation of an October 17 announcement. Though we might see the iPad mini hit retail shelves shortly after that, Apple may end up waiting until the first week of November to finally make the pint-sized tablet available; November 2 might be a likely candidate, the Friday two weeks after the anticipated event.
That sort of release window might play quite well for Apple, especially if it’s trying to distract users from the new Windows 8 tablets (not to mention Windows Phone 8 handsets) that will start arriving.
