The likelihood is Apple will uncloak the iPad 5 (and possibly the iPad Mini 2 too) on Oct 22 but there is no way the iOS 7 slate will become available on the same day. Release date is likely set for Nov 1.

That according to Gotta Be Mobile and the tech site based its assumption on the recent iPhone 5S rollout, which came out exactly 10 days after it was launched by Apple in Sept 10.

Now it is highly possible that the tech giant is laying down the same pattern for the 9.7-inch iPad push this year.

And with some semblance of predictability currently surrounding the iPad 5 release, it should be safe to assume that there are at least four confirmed facts or circumstances about the device that would-be buyers must know.

They are provided below:

It's a different iOS 7 serving

True, the iPhone 5S offered a general glimpse of how to interact with the iPad 5 but the new platform will definitely serve a vastly different iOS 7 experience. There will be some similarities but Apple has been largely successful in setting apart the smartphone and tablet rendering of its mobile OS.

As analysts have been harping about, the iPad reflects a segment of the iOS ecosystem that is tablet-optimised, which is the slate's major edge over its Android and Windows foes. And this is a fact that Apple is very proud of - iOS 7 on the iPhone and the iPad maybe the same dog but it behaves distinctly depending on the device it is in.

The iPad storage configuration is a big deal

The basic iPad model comes in 16GB, which is offered either in Wi-Fi or with cellular signal. For the average users, the space seems sufficient but for the tablet veterans the digital room gets easily crowded by must-download apps and personal files. Too bad the slate is without a memory expansion slot.

Better be sure than sorry so GBM highly recommends that users skip the 16GB variant and opt for the 32GB edition instead, which should be enough to hold decent amounts of pictures, music, movies, e-books and other electronic documents.

But to be sure, the 128GB config should dangle the best iPad deal, no matter if the buyer is a first time iPad user or an iOS resident. The locker capacity is virtually limitless though this feature comes with a high price tag.

Brace for the huge cash setback

Apple CEO Tim Cook himself has declared that his company are not into the junk business. That is one way of saying that iPhones or iPads do not come cheap, especially in the absence of telco subsidies.

Starting price, if previous pricing models would be the reference, should be $500 with the top-of-the-line going for over the $900 mark. Take note that this is only true for U.S.-based consumers. For the rest of the world, the retail price for each unit easily jacks up with basic model selling by as much as $700 or more.

And it is quite impossible to hope for discounts in the immediate weeks or months after the new iPads have come out. The only alternative for iPad lovers looking for great deals is to look back, that is re-focus on the iPad 4 and below models. Traditionally, Apple and its retail partners offer attractive price slashes on these units if only to clear out inventories.

Accessories galore for new iPad buyers

One good thing about the iOS ecosystem is the pervasiveness of companion products, which make the iPhone and iPad accessories - screen guards, case covers and others - both affordable and accessible.

It is prudent to invest on so-called iPad protectors for they will keep your device free from dents and scratches. In the same way, these accessories will preserve a big percentage of the iPad's value, which is something that users truly appreciate when the time comes to re-sell the unit and move into a fresh one.