Apple Will Unveil New iPad Mini Oct. 23: Report

Apple will hold an invite-only event Oct. 23 to unveil a smaller iPad, according to a report.

The tech giant was previously rumored to send out invitations to a product event Oct. 10. When the date passed without any news from the company, however, observers wondered whether Apple would make any announcement on the product.

But according to a report from All Things D, people familiar with the Apple's plans are saying a smaller iPad will be revealed on Oct. 23. The sources did not disclose a location for the event.

It's interesting to note that the new reported date for a launch of smaller iPad, or an "iPad mini" as it is being called, is just a few days before Microsoft launches its new Surface tablet on Oct. 26.

Apple's new tablet is reported to already be in production, with 10 million units ordered from manufacturers. The smaller iPad is reported to be 7.85 inches, making it a direct competitor withAmazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire HD and Google's Nexus 7.

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