iPad Mini Could Be Announced Soon

We warned you of the forthcoming October tech bonanza.

While Fortune had predicted that Apple would hold an event on Oct. 17 to announce its new iPad Mini, with invites going out to reporters Oct. 10, there's now a new rumored date: Oct 23. AllThingsD, a technology website with a very good track record when it comes to reporting on Apple, says the company will reveal the smaller iPad, or iPad Mini, to the media at an invitation-only event in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Oct. 23 certainly makes more sense for a number of reasons. First, Apple hasn't yet sent out official invites, making it too soon for an Oct. 17 date. Second, Microsoft is launching Windows 8 and its own Surface tablet later in the week on Oct. 26. Additionally, Apple's earnings release is on Oct. 25, and the company would likely prefer to announce the new tablet before that date.

Rumors have been swirling about the smaller iPad for months now. It has been said that it will have a 7.85-inch screen, the same Lightning Dock Connector as the new iPhone 5, and 3G/4G cellular connectivity. Some images of the tablet have been leaked, and The Wall Street Journal reported a few weeks ago that mass production of the smaller tablet had begun.

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 two weeks ago, which - you guessed it - starts at $199. There have been no reports on the pricing of the iPad Mini.

Apple has declined to comment to ABC News on any of the iPad Mini rumors that have circulated over the past few months, but if the latest rumor is true, it looks as if we'll have much more than a comment from Apple soon.

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