iPad Mini to debut in September, says analyst

iPad Mini to debut in September, says analyst
Apple's alleged iPad Mini could see the light of day before the end of September, says KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.In a report released yesterday and covered by MacRumors, Kuo said he expects the new iPhone to debut in September, possibly near the start of the month. The iPad Mini will then follow closely as a second act.Assuming an iPad Mini does pop up in September, the analyst is anticpating heavy demand. He's already projecting unit sales of 1.8 million just for the few short weeks marking the end of the calendar third quarter. And in the fourth quarter, the new iPad could grab sales as high as 13 million, surpassing those of its bigger brother.Kuo is also eyeing changes to the 9.7-inch iPad, namely some internal modifications to resolve thermal issues and to cut costs. Those changes are expected in the third quarter but won't be noticed by consumers.With a new iPhone and possible iPad Mini on the way, the analyst is predicting a blockbuster fourth-quarter for Apple. For the final quarter of the year, Kuo is looking for iPhone sales to surpass 55 million and total iPad sales to reach almost 34 million.Apple reports its June quarter results later today, which CNET will cover live.

iPad Mini mock-up pics emerge

iPad Mini mock-up pics emerge
Alleged mock-ups of Apple's iPad Mini emerged today, courtesy of French Web site Nowhereelse.fr.The photos show a mock-up of the iPad Mini, with a white front, held in various angles. Another photo shows the cases of the larger and smaller iPad stacked with an iPhone 4S and what appears to be the case for the longer iPhone 5. The photos, which Nowhereelse.fr spotted from Chinese site Dgtle.com, are apparently intended to showcase iPad Mini accessories. It's unclear whether these mock-ups represent the actual iPad Mini, and Apple has declined to comment to CNET.The French blog previously posted alleged pictures of the iPhone 5.While much of the excitement over Apple has to do with this week's expected iPhone 5 unveiling, many believe the company will come back shortly with an iPad Mini announcement. A smaller version of the iPad, which presumably would cost less, would help widen Apple's lead in the tablet market, and expand its potential customer base looking for a more affordable product. Google and its Nexus 7 and Amazon and its Kindle Fire HD have already fired their shots, and both have been received positively.Correction at 6:52 a.m. PT: The initial story incorrectly said the photos were of the iPad Mini. The photos actually show a mock-up of the tablet.

iPad Mini may only come in Wi-Fi version, report says

iPad Mini may only come in Wi-Fi version, report says
Apple's forthcoming iPad Mini may only sport a Wi-Fi connection, according to the Guardian.The Guardian, citing unnamed industry sources, also said there would be a revised version of its larger iPad that would sport the Lightning dock connector and run on the 4G LTE network run by U.K. Everything Everywhere.The report is just the latest leak on the smaller version of the iPad, which is widely believed to be revealed at an event next week. Invitations for the event are expected to come out some time in the next few days. Apple declined to comment to CNET. Earlier today, a 9to5Mac engineer tweeted several pictures purportedly showing the new iPadstacked up against its larger brother.The iPad Mini, expected to be both smaller and more affordable, does a lot to expand the market for tablets and would pose a significant risk to competitors such as Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD.The lack of a cellular connection means Apple can build the iPad Mini at a lower cost. Both Google and Amazon omitted a 3G or 4G connection from their smaller tablets. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play