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Apple iPad mini event 'on October 23'

Apple will launch its new mini iPad on October 23, not October 17, according to a report.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the new iPad during an event in San Francisco
Apple is expected to launch a smaller iPad this month. Credit: Photo: AP

Speculation had focused on Wednesday, October 17th as the launch date for a smaller version of the Apple iPad. Apple normally gives at least a week's notice of product launch events so when this Wednesday passed without an official announcement observers began to wonder whether the launch would happen at all.

Earlier today AllThingsD, the technology website, said that "people familiar with Apple's plans" had confirmed that Apple would hold an iPad mini launch event on October 23rd.

The report said the event was likely to be held in the Town Hall auditorium at Apple's Cupertino headquarters.

A launch on the 23rd would upset rival Microsoft, which will launch its new Windows 8 operating system on Thursday the 25th. Microsoft also has its own tablet computers ready to go on sale and a new Apple tablet would draw some attention away from those products too.

Thursday, October 25th is also the day that Apple will announce its fiscal Q4 earnings.

Apple is thought to want to release a smaller iPad to compete with Google's Android-powered tablet, Nexus 7, and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD. Both of those tablets have 7-inch screens and it is rumoured that the smaller iPad would have a 7.85-inch screen.

It is also thought likely that the new iPad will have the same Lightning dock connector as the iPhone 5 but few other details have emerged in rumours. Even the name of the new device remains unknown but observers have taken to calling it the iPad Mini, iPad Nano or even iPad Air.

If Apple is holding an event on the 23rd then it is likely to announce the invite by next Tuesday at the latest.