Apple iPad Mini Official Announcement : 1AM, October 24, 2012, Manila Time! What to Expect?!

Following months of rumors, speculations, and fan concepts, Apple could very well officially unveil the iPad Mini via a media event at San Jose, California happening at 1AM, October 24, 2012, Manila Time. That's only a little more than an hour from now. So stay tuned.

apple ipad mini

So why an iPad Mini?!

Quoting TechPinas' iPad Mini feature last July,

"In Q4 2010, a few months before he finally succumbed to the complications of pancreatic cancer, then-Apple-CEO Steve Jobs tried to squash the idea of a cheap 7-inch version of the iPad by making this bold statement at the company's Earnings Conference Call,

'The reason we [will NOT] make a 7-inch tablet isn't because we don't want to hit that price point, it's because we think the screen is too small to express the software. As a software driven company we think about the software strategies first.' [...]

Software strategy may have been a valid reason for not pursuing the project then but times have changed much since Steve Jobs left us.

For one, the legendary CEO didn't live to see Amazon Kindle Fire's immense success in the US, which makes it a game changer in its own right. When he was still around, his company's iPad reigned supreme; having no strong rivals in the tablet market. Jobs died on October 5, 2011 and Kindle Fire started shipping in the said territory on November 15, 2011.

Since the day it hit store shelves, [Amazon's] ultra-affordable '$199 7-inch tablet running an Android-derivative operating system with a 1 GHz Dual Core processor' has went on to become the best-selling Android slate in the US [and even negatively affected the sales Apple's iPad.]"

Obviously then, instead of being a game-changing 'product of innovation' like what the iPhone and iPad clearly are, the iPad Mini - I'd say - is merely Apple's reaction to success of Kindle Fire, Nexus 7, and other smaller tablets that are starting to take over the market and eat at Apple's share in the tablet market pie. I mean, had these other slates failed to take off, I don't really think Apple would even bother to create a shrunk version of the iPad.

So what to expect from iPad Mini in terms of design and specifications?

According to industry insiders, the new WiFi-Only iPad Mini will feature a 7.85-inch display - which is exactly 1.85 inches smaller diagonally than the screen of the new iPad - and will run the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system called iOS6 with its Dual Core Apple A5 processor.

Like iPhone 5, the iPad Mini will most likely come in two color variants; Black Front Bezel with Aluminum Back Case, and other flaunting a White Front Bezel. Also, as you can see in this image, the device has a camera at the back; As yet, we don't know the exact specifications of this shooter but I'm guessing it will be more or less similar to the one on iPod Touch 4th Generation.

Do you agree that iPad Mini is 'not a product of innovation'? Do you think it will be as successful as the regular iPad? Will you be getting one this Christmas? Kindly share your thoughts about the much-awaited iDevice via our comments section.