Hey everyone. I have some news to share about the rumored iPad Mini and why I don't think the event will be on the 17th. For the past three iOS device announcements, the event invitations have always gone out to the press on 8 days before the announcement date. (The Tuesday of the preceding week for those not mathematically inclined.) If the event was on the 17th, the invites would have had to go out today. That obviously didn't happen. I'm not saying they won't go out tomorrow, but to me the chances of a Oct 17th event are looking pretty slim. Tell me what your thoughts are on this here.
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Don't get your hopes up guys.
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I saw that article. What I am saying is that it's strange that Apple would make a departure from its usual invites-event-launch dates. I hope that when I wake up tomorrow there will be a post saying how the invites went out and an event is scheduled for October 17th. A lack of explicit confirmation (Yep) by reliable sources worries me though.
Or the others will have to say you were right. Me, my bet is on the prediction that it will be today the invites will go out. HOPE 
It's not looking good so far. I went back and looked at the times for the event invites for the 4s, 4, iPad 3, iPad 2, and iPhone 5. All of them were out between 8:00 and 9:00 AM PST.
I guess it was all a dream.. looks like I will be getting a new iPod Touch this Friday and won't be in the market for an iPad mini after all. Recent rumors that the mini will be WIFI only and specs will be not much different than the Touch's have dampened my enthusiasm for it ..
I know I posted the rumor link, but it is starting to look unlikely.
If you ask me, an iPad mini just doesn't make sense to release this year. Never had. If we think about it for a moment, Apple always refreshes their entire iPod lineup at the same event. They don't go selling an iPod Touch in March, the iPod nano in June, and then the Shuffle in September. Doesn't make sense. Since they are all in the same product family, they are all released together. Also note the keynote in June, where Apple refreshed their entire Macbook lineup together in one go. Same product family. You could argue about the holiday season, but Apple has never had problems selling iPads. So I believe if nothing pushes through this October, then Apple's best bet is to show it off in March, alongside the 4th generation iPad. It just makes sense in a marketing perspective.
That and the whole iPhone 5 production fiasco going on right now, what with break out riots halting production, leads me to believe that Apple would rather focus it's production power on their biggest selling product for the rest of the year. And after the release of the new iPad, iPhone 5, and three new iPod lines, I think the iOS device war machine needs a rest this year.
What I realistically see for the month of October are refreshes for the iMac and Mac mini. We already know Tim Cook has officially addressed a Mac Pro update for 2013 so we know that isn't coming. But if they really want to show off a 13" Macbook Pro with retina, then releasing it alongside a slew of other Mac updates makes a little more sense rather than with the iPad mini. But even the 13" rMBP in October also goes against conventional wisdom of family product refreshes. That too, should also be updated alongside the next generation Macbook Pros.
Hey, just my two cents.
If you ask me, an iPad mini just doesn't make sense to release this year. Never had. If we think about it for a moment, Apple always refreshes their entire iPod lineup at the same event. They don't go selling an iPod Touch in March, the iPod nano in June, and then the Shuffle in September. Doesn't make sense. Since they are all in the same product family, they are all released together. Also note the keynote in June, where Apple refreshed their entire Macbook lineup together in one go. Same product family. You could argue about the holiday season, but Apple has never had problems selling iPads. So I believe if nothing pushes through this October, then Apple's best bet is to show it off in March, alongside the 4th generation iPad. It just makes sense in a marketing perspective.
That and the whole iPhone 5 production fiasco going on right now, what with break out riots halting production, leads me to believe that Apple would rather focus it's production power on their biggest selling product for the rest of the year. And after the release of the new iPad, iPhone 5, and three new iPod lines, I think the iOS device war machine needs a rest this year.
What I realistically see for the month of October are refreshes for the iMac and Mac mini. We already know Tim Cook has officially addressed a Mac Pro update for 2013 so we know that isn't coming. But if they really want to show off a 13" Macbook Pro with retina, then releasing it alongside a slew of other Mac updates makes a little more sense rather than with the iPad mini. But even the 13" rMBP in October also goes against conventional wisdom of family product refreshes. That too, should also be updated alongside the next generation Macbook Pros.
Hey, just my two cents.
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I disagree. I think that an iPad mini would sell like hotcakes for Christmas season. Price around $300, cheaper than the New iPad, and not about to be refreshed 3 months after Christmas. Those are all reasons I would hesitate to buy an iPad 3 as a christmas present but not for a newly-released Mini. I think this is the perfect time for a mini to be released as opposed to with the iPad 3 in march/april.
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<looks at watch> Damn, where is that invite?
<paces a little, stops>
<looks at different watch> Damn!
<paces a little, stops>
<looks at third watch> Damn damn!
Apple has been rapidly building out its production infrastructure in Brazil (rather than China, which is clearly reaching the stage of unrest as their middle class rises and demands better wages/conditions). I have no idea if their will be an announcement before the holidays, but I have no doubt that the production capability will be there.