iPad Mini launch rumoured for next week, prices expected to start at £200

Apple is set to officially unveil the iPad Mini at an event on 23 October, sources close to the company say.

Details of the upcoming device have previously been leaked online, and it is expected to ship on 2 November. If correct, the reported date of the announcement will come days before Microsoft releases Windows 8, its new operating system designed with tablets very much at the forefront of functionality.

Prices for the iPad Mini are predicted to start at £200 for an 8GB version, while a 64GB model with Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity is rumoured to cost around £520. It's thought the device will have a 7.85-inch LCD screen, making it almost two inches smaller than the iPad.

Previous speculation suggested that the device would be revealed on 17 October, but no press invites have yet been sent out, which makes this date seem unlikely. Apple has a history of sending invitations to exclusive press events at their California HQ one week before they announce a new product.

A smaller version of the iPad would compete directly with the Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire, both of which have already established themselves in the mini tablet market.

As usual, Apple has refused to comment on speculation regarding upcoming products. The company's fourth quarter financial results are scheduled to be released just two days after the rumoured reveal of the iPad Mini.