Apple's is expected to unveil the iPad Mini in October, but some believe it won't be such an easy hit for the market.

Amazon recently unveiled their new Kindle Fire HD, far better than their previous Kindle Fire. The iPad Mini is set to compete with the Fire, but it would have to have key components to win the battle.

iOS6

Apple's iOS6 will be available for users to download and install on Sept. 19, two days before the iPhone 5 is set to hit shelves.

According to Cnet, the new system is said to have 200 new features.

The new operating system will have many aspects. It will not have YouTube or Google Maps. Instead, Apple revealed a new Maps app made completely in-house.

There will also be a major upgrade for Siri. According to Bostinno, Apple lovers can now get sports game updates, make restaurant reservations, watch movie trailers, launch apps and tweet by voice. Siri is now also available for the iPad.

There will also be Facebook integration. Facebook will integrate with iOS 6 in a similar way Twitter currently integrates with iOS 5. There are also new features. You can now set reminders to call people back, send messages instead of calling, apply a DO NOT DISTURB feature that does not alert you with notifications. iOS 6 Mail VIPs will enable to users to mark certain contacts as important, and in turn, all their messages will be starred.

There will also be updates to iCloud. Notes and reminders will synch up with other mobile devices and Mac PCs but will not support location based reminders, according to Latinos Post. The new lost mode in Find my Phone will enable users to lock any iOS 6 device remotely, ensuring that no one will be able to utilize it while it is lost. The new feature will track the device and email the user updates of any location changes. Lost Mode will also allow users to see locations that the iOS device has visited on a map. iCalender will no longer have Reminders, since they now have their own app.

Users can now use FaceTime over their cellular network instead of only by WiFi. There will be Photo Stream and Passbook, which users can get all their passes in one place, such as boarding passes, tickets, and coupons.

Maps App

According to PCWorld, the current iOS has a Maps app already, but it doesn't provide voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation. The Maps app is expted to have cool 3D maps and a fly-by feature. It will allow users to ask Siri to find the nearest gas station or coffee shop. Rather than pulling up navigation directions on a map that you have to actually look at and manually step through each direction, Siri will guide you there, turn-by-turn, according to PC World.

According to Apple Insider, a major feature that sets Maps apart from rival products is its use of custom algorithms to fill in Flyover details like shrubbery and trees. The iOS 6 GM brings further improvements in this area, as zoomed images reveal smoother borders around foliage and advanced rendering that gives the appearance of "leaf-level" detail. And unlike Google Maps' StreetView, which blurs out license plates and faces, Apple looks to be employing an automated masking system that will leave only a "ghost image" of vehicles behind. There will also be more detail on certain rendered structures.

iBooks

Many people buy Kindles so that they can read their favorite books in one place. This will be essential if Apple wants to compete with Amazon.

iBooks is already an app on Apple iPads. According to Apple, the iBookstore feature "the best of what's new right at the top of the page." There is over 1.5 million books, including new Multi-Touch textbooks. "Since iCloud keeps track of what you've previewed, you can start shopping on your iPad and continue on another device."

There are also reading tools, such as highlight or underline text, make notes, look up a word in the dictionary or on the web, or search inside the book. You can even use VoiceOver to have iPad read to you. With iCloud, the books you buy on your iPad appear on your other devices, ready to read.

Retina Display

The iPad already has Retina Display, which makes text crystal clear on the screen. So it would be essential to have Retina on the iPad Mini.

"It'd make sense for Apple to launch the iPad Mini with a Retina Display. Going against its usual way of doing things, especially in light of Steve Jobs' comments about that particular size, is a bold move. And bold moves require big USPs," said Rob Bamforth, Quo Circa analyst and regular Know Your Mobile columnist.

"However, if it indeed priced attractively and equipped with iOS 6's navigation features and optimized for eBooks, we could see the device selling very well," Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes said, according to FinancialPost. "As a result, if investors were to anticipate this product, along with a 'regular' 9.7" iPad coming in March, then it is hard to argue much of a sell-off for Apple."

Release Date

Analysts say that the release date is crucial if Apple wants to compete with the Kindle Fire HD.

Reports are saying that Apple will unveil the iPad Mini in October. Google's Nexus 7 is already on the market. The Kindle Fire HD is taking pre-orders and will be available Sept. 14, just about a month ahead of the iPad Mini release date.

Barclays analyst Reitzes said he can't remember a time when an important launch such as the iPad mini followed a major iPhone announcement so closely, according to Financial Post.

He explains that Apple shares typically perform worse in the three-month period following an iPhone announcement because many features are predicted before the event. However, after about three months, sales of the smartphone frequently beat expecations and Apple's share price benefits.

Reitzes believes the iPad mini could be a big hit with sales of well over 10 million units in the first quarter it is available. That makes its launch somewhat like that of a regular iPad.

Price

According to Pop Herald, Amazon's press release said that the Kindle Fire HD has 7-inch IPS LCD display with the best hardware, more affordable than other products, and the device is "backed by the world's best content ecosystem, best cross-platform interoperability and best customer service." In short, it is not targeting the Google Nexus 7, but the Apple iPad.

The newest iPad sells for $499 with Retina Display and 4G LTE. The iPad 3 sells for $399. Many rumors say that the iPad Mini might sell for around $250-$300, and may or may not have Retina Display.

Pricing may be an issue for the little Apple tablet. The Kindle Fire HD with 16GB costs $199 while the 16GB Nexus 7 costs $249 with all the Android content. According to Pop Herald, "If Apple will sell the iPad Mini with a $249.99 price tag, then it will be safe to assume that Apple can sell "millions." But what if the iPad Mini will sit within the $300 to $399 mark? Can it still lure customers?"

According to one analyst, Apple might launch the iPad Mini at a $250-$300 price point, cheap enough to convince customers that the iPad Mini is a Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire alternative.

According to Digitimes, a source pointed out pricing for the small iPad, "as for the device's price, comparing to Amazon and Google's US$199 7-inch tablet PC, the sources pointed out that even if Apple prices its 7.85-inch iPad at US$299, it is still expected to create a strong impact on the two devices."

These six features will help Apple dominated the market where the Kindle Fire HD is now taking over.

In other iPad Mini news, a new report revealed that media will soon see an invite for an iPad Mini launch event by Oct. 10, which would mean that it will be unveiled soon after.

"By Oct. 10, Misek said he predicts an invitation for an iPad Mini launch event will be mailed out to the media, followed by the formal announcement of the device by mid-October and culminating with the launch of the iPad Mini at the end of that month," eWeek reported. This prediction was made by Jefferies analyst Peter Misek.

The iPad Mini, Reports say that the new little iPad will feature a 7.85-inch IGZO display with 330 pixels/inch, 1024 x 768 resolution. It will be more affordable. It is also assumed that the new tablet will feature Apple's upcoming operating system, iO6, which includes a new, Google-free Maps app, and Passbook, and promises better Facebook integration, better maps, and better video conferences that use cellular data, according to Entrepreneur.com. It is also said to have a smaller dock connector, two speakers and thinner bezel. It may also feature a music service similar to Pandora radio, WiFi, and Retina Display. 

Related Articles

iPad Mini Release Date: Why Price and Timing is Crucial for Apple to Dominate Amazon's Kindle Fire HD

iPad Mini Release Date, Price, Rumors: Apple to Send Invites by Oct. 10; Will Reach 4 Million Units Per Month

iPad Mini Release Date: 6 Differences Between iPad Mini, Nexus 7, Kindle Fire 2,HD; Will Apple Dominate?