Next week is a busy week for the tech world. Windows 8 is coming out and shortly after, devices on the new Microsoft platform will roll out while Apple is reportedly pulling down the cloak on its new gizmo - the iPad Mini.

The first report is confirmed long-time ago while the second one, to this date, remains based on speculations, leaving many tech observers to muse that iPad Mini is merely an official rumour lacking the affirmation from Apple.

But the new Apple gadget will see the light of the day on Oct 23 anyway, according to AllThingsD, a blog site renowned for correctly predicting gadget developments and other sort of news from the Cupertino, California-based firm.

Apart from the 'unofficial launch date', AllThingsD has admitted that solid details about the iPad Mini were scant at best and only offer long-published assumptions that what the world will have is likely a shrunk version of the regular iPad but not necessarily inferior in form, functions and features.

In other words, the iPad Mini (if indeed Apple will stick with the name) will have its own Wow-factor common to the previous Apple devices that the late Steve Jobs had flamboyant ushered.

And what exactly were those breathtaking attributions? News reports and blogs alike were in agreement that the tablet will join the 7-inch and up screen stables while CNET said on Saturday that "the iPad Mini will come in 16 different memory and wireless configurations."

The report also suggested that Apple has elected not to compromise on the features that iPad Mini will carry, contradicting earlier reports that for the tech giant to come up with a 'lesser iPad sibling' it has to strip down on what consumers have been programmed to enjoy in earlier Apple gadgets.

To be true, Mr Jobs would vehemently protest on the latter notion, which is like watering down his quest for virtual perfection in every Apple product, but according to PC World the idea of partially cutting corners if only to achieve a certain target actually makes business sense.

The whole argument behind the iPad Mini is it will be another game-changer coming from Apple and for that thrust to be realised, the company needs to retail the product below the $US300 mark, PC World said.

Beyond the price range that 7-inch tablets were known for, the very purpose of issuing a smaller iPad is defeated even before it hits the market, analysts said.

The iPad Mini will only end up replicating the tablet strategy employed by Samsung - pushing identical devices that only differed in screen sizes, which the South Korean firm had conceded earlier this year was not very effective, experts added.

Yet one thing is clear about the iPad Mini, it is designed by Apple and these days anything from Apple sells, and in big time, regardless of problems attached with their products. The iPhone 5 has easily breached the five-million threshold despite numerous gripes on its new OS, map application, casing and a host of other complaints.

In short, the iPad Mini will definitely be another hit Apple device because there will be consumers out there who will likely prefer a little smaller Apple tablet and may even use the new brick alongside with or as a complementing tool for the regular-sized iPad.

"As great as the iPad is, businesses are going to be inclined to get those same features and capabilities," from the iPad Mini, most especially if Apple would impose just the right price tag for the brick, PC World said.

Also, executives may find the iPad Mini more useful when conducting business on the go, according to ITProPortal, adding "it can offer users a better option for managing email and browsing the web."

On that respect alone, the new Apple product, if indeed there will be one, will easily beat out the competitions - Google's Nexus Tablet, Amazon's Kindle Fire HD and even Microsoft's Surface tablet or other branded tablets on Windows 8.

The reason? Simply because iPad Mini is Apple and the name itself readily woos prospective buys even if the targeted product largely rests on consumers' wild imagination.