It is a given that Apple plans an explosive event on Oct 22 and as the slimmed down iPad 5 and the sexier iPad Mini 2 are unveiled, fan have listed the device features and capabilities they'd want to marvel at on release date for the two iOS 7 slates.

Apple admits that it has "a lot to cover," which strongly suggests that what will be revealed will plug the holes seen right after the iPhone 5S debut in September 2013. Surely the tech giant is mulling a grand touchdown for its two tablet renditions this year and listed below are the key iPad specs that should inspire fresh 'ohhs and ahhs' from iOS device watchers.

Gaming iPads

Apple is planning a big step that would make it a major player in the billion-dollar gaming industry and when the first iOS 7 beta was issued, it became clearer that the mobile platform is paving the way for bigger things to come - merging the spheres inhabited by tablet users and gamers, both in the casual and hard-core categories.

The hints are already out there - leaked gaming accessories for the iOS 7 gadgets and supposed to be gaming titles that in the past were the monopoly of console and PC gaming sectors. Come Tuesday this week, millions will be delighted should Apple finally make clear how the iPad5 and the Mini 2 will exactly figure in the exciting world of conventional and mobile gaming.

Slim but roomy iPads

Its compact profile is what mostly endeared the iPads to consumers around the world plus the fact that it is sleek and packs just the right muscle under the hood. Yet as the functions intended for this high-end plaything constantly expands, users find it hard to make do with the basic 16GB internal memory.

And minus Android's expansion slot, this storage feature has become claustrophobic so it is high time for Apple to ditch the old model and go for 32GB as the starting build. It would be a bonus if Apple would announce on Oct 22 that with the generous flash drive provision, the basic pricing for both the 9.7-inch iPad and the 7.9-inch will remain the same.

Cool and functional accessories

True, the Surface Windows tablets that Microsoft released last year were no match to the iPad but one thing that Apple fans would certainly appreciate is the inclusion of tablet accessories that look good on the devices with definite utilitarian value.

One good example is the thin tablet cover that the Surface tablet has popularised, which proved that good engineering can come up with a screen protector that also doubles as very useful keyboard. Now that is a plus for tablet productivity.

Better Retina

How can the iPad really push console gaming into near extinction? By matching the large-screen TVs utilised by Sony and Nintendo on their products. Of course, attaching the iPads to a stationary monitor defeats the purpose of mobile gaming so the next best thing is providing the tablets' current screen size with a resolution that nearly matches that of modern TVs.

This is where Retina comes in, which is most-awaited especially in the case of the Mini 2. Getting a 2048 x 1536 screen resolution is one of the best bump up that the smaller iPad will get, that is as far as Apple fans are concerned. And they would not mind too having the iPad 5 with a Retina-powered screen that is more immersive from that of the iPad 4.

Solid gadget security

The best way to accentuate all the new iPad feature that its maker will reveal is to offer a strong assurance that the power tabs are also a hub for security and privacy. Apple has proven that it is capable of giving a high-level of protection when it showed off the Touch ID fingerprint scanner with the iPhone 5S.

Sure this mechanism is far from being perfect but Apple is heading then right way in packing the feature with its 2013 flagship phone. Touch ID should be implemented across the board and the company will not go wrong extending the use of biometrics to unlock its gadgets and guard the transactions that will be conducted using them.

The Oct 22 Apple show is confirmed but release date of the iPad 5 and the iPad Mini 2 is still a guessing though analysts maintain it will follow in the immediate weeks ahead.