The day is finally here: the worst kept secret in tech, Apple's iPad Mini, is widely rumored to be unveiled today Oct. 23 at a media event at the California Theater in San Jose, Calif. And while Apple is keeping its mouth shut ahead of its enigmatic event, numerous sources like Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu, and AppleInsider, are suggesting today's announcement could reveal the iPad Mini, a refreshed Macintosh Computer line, new models of the iMac desktop machine, MacBook laptops, the Mac Mini component computer, as well as new versions of iTunes and iBooks.
Two ways to live-stream the event
Apple will begin live-streaming the event themselves at 10 a.m. PDT via the events page on its website
CNET will also live stream the event on its livestream.com page.
Apple will also make video available from the event via a new Apple Events app on Apple TV devices, according to The Next Web.
The live stream will also be available over Apple hardware. Apple says live streaming video requires "Safari 4 or later on Mac OS X v10.6 or later; Safari on iOS 4.2 or later. Streaming via Apple TV requires second- or third-generation Apple TV with software 5.0.2 or later."
iPad Mini specs
The biggest question surrounding the "iPad Mini" - other than what Apple will actually end up naming the device - seems to be the device's price point. Apple never comments on these matters until release day.
While many of the recent rumors -- like a report from 9to5Mac -- suggested a $329 price tag, analyst Mark Moskowitz thinks it could be much lower than that. "Our research indicates that the smaller size, absence of Retina display, and less storage capacity underpin the base model's potential price point of $249," he said.
A sentiment echoed by Whitmore who thinks that the tablet market will grow from about 20 million in 2010 to roughly 195 million by 2014, and believes Apple will aim squarely at an underserved price point between $250 and $350, according to Fortune.
"If Apple is able to price the iPad mini at ~$250, the product will be a barnburner; especially during this holiday season," Whitmore writes.
Sterne Agee analyst Wu thinks Apple's new smaller tablet will be a success no matter what.
"We do not believe Apple needs to price as low as $199 to match Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD," Wu theorizes. "[Rather, we] believe a price point of $299 or $349 makes sense with its entry-level iPod touch starting at $199 and iPad 2 at $399."
"The big surprise would be if it comes in at the lower end," says Wu. "The key question is whether Apple decides to price in-line with its margin model or does it get aggressive to 'go for the kill' against competitors. Regardless, we continue to believe iPad mini is the competition's worse nightmare."
The iPAd Mini is expected to have a 7.8 inch screen with 1,024 x 768 resolution. The resolution will probably not be retina display, but it is possible it would have the same ppi as found on the iPad 2. The tablet would be able to handle all the apps. The design will stick to the same aesthetics of the iPhone 5 with an anodized aluminum back plate rather than a plastic build.
It will have two cameras, one front facing, for FaceTime or other video chat applications, and another, higher resolution rear-facing camera on the back. The Mini should have a lightning port connector, like the iPhone 5, and will likely have an A6 processor, although, some sites are suggesting it may be an A5 like the iPad 2.
MacBook Pro/ iMac / Mac Mini
Apple is also said to be planning to unveil a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, according to AppleInsider.
Last week, images claiming to show the final product leaked online, featuring two Thunderbolt ports, an SD card reader and an HDMI output. The source of the information leak claimed the alleged MacBook Pro did not feature a discrete graphics card.
A new iMac could also be launched this week, according to AppleInsider. The tech website claims it spoke to a source who claims there are whispers in the reseller community that the updated desktop could become available on Wednesday Oct. 24. The iMac is expected to be redesigned with a thinner profile, though reports have said it will not feature a high-resolution Retina display.
AppleInsider says, "Apple's small desktop computer and least expensive Mac, theMac mini, is also overdue for an update to Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors. Supply of the Mac mini has been constrained at third-party resellers since earlier this month, which is often one of the first signs that a product refresh is forthcoming.
iTunes11 and iBooks3
First announced by Apple in September, the newly redesigned iTunes software for Mac and PC is scheduled to arrive in late October.
iTunes 11 features a redesigned interface that suggests new concepts that Apple could adopt in its larger OS X platform. Apple said in September that the new iTunes user interface is "dramatically simpler," while new features have been added like a redesigned mini player and tighter iCloud integration.
Apple may also be planning to release a major update for its iBooks application for iPad and iPhone. It's expected that Apple plans to use iBooks 3.0 along with the new iPad mini to push sales of the lower priced device to education buyers.