They’ve been in the rumour mill for the best part of the year but it’s looking very likely that the iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 will both be officially unveiled at an event on October 22nd.
The report comes from AllThingsD, a publication that has an impressive track record when it comes to predicting what Apple will launch next and the dates on which the launches will take place.
“People familiar with Apple’s plans tell AllThingsD that the company will hold its next invitation-only event on Tuesday October 22. The focal point of the gathering will the latest updates to the company’s iPad line, but new Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks will likely get some stage time as well, I’m told.”
The date lines up with Apple’s annual tradition for refreshing its iPad lineup, although this year we’ll be making room for both a new iPad and a new iPad Mini. Both will feature new and more powerful processors and tweaked cameras, though the key upgrades lay in the design for the iPad 5 and the display for the iPad Mini 2.
The iPad 5 is expected to keep the same 9.7-inch Retina display along with many of the same core features, with the big difference being the design. Apple will switch to the slimmer and more squared design it introduced in the iPad Mini, which will finally bring its full-size iPad in line with the latest iPhone and iPod Touch, plus of course the iPad Mini in terms of the way they all look.
For the second generation iPad Mini we’re expecting to see Apple upgrade the smaller 7.9-inch display to Retina display quality – a feature many were hoping would be present in the original but was lacking. This will put the Mini in contention with Google’s new Full HD Nexus 7, making it a very small and portable tablet yet with a super-sharp picture quality.
We’re also expecting to see Apple introduce new colour options for both iPads, just as it has done with the iPhone 5S recently. Slate will be replaced with the new ‘Space Gray’ colour and we’re also expecting to see a gold version added to the range, as with the iPhone 5S.
Debuted earlier in the year and since in beta testing, Apple’s latest desktop software, OS X ‘Mavericks’, is also expected to be officially launched to the public. Like the Mountain Lion an Lion updates which preceded it, the update will be available to download digitally from the Mac App Store on iMacs, MacBooks, Mac Minis and Mac Pros.
We’re confident that AllThingsD’s predictions are close to, if not spot on, so if you’re an Apple fan then be sure to tune in on October 22nd for all the news from Cupertino.