After more than two years of reign, a rival tablet appears to be gathering enough steam that tech experts seem convinced an iPad killer is now on the horizon.

The threat, however, is not an Android or Windows slate and in fact can actually be called as an enemy within because Apple itself produced what could shortly turn out as the magical brick that finally sidelined the regular-sized iPad, which the tech giant said has already sold more than 100 million units.

In due time though, according to analysts (or more appropriately, iPad enthusiasts), such overwhelming numbers would be attached to a fresh Apple brand, the iPad Mini that saw its commercial debut two weekends ago.

And judging from global feedbacks, the reception that the Mini has been generating was nothing short of phenomenal. In fact, Apple's inventory of the small iPad sibling is already depleted as reported by the company boss, Tim Cook, only three days after the product was made available to global stores.

As far as Apple fanboys are concerned, the Mini is their choice of tablet, The Daily Ticker reported on Monday, for one obvious reason - they fell in love with the size and mobility that come with the new tablet.

Previous iPad users have discovered that Apple was dead serious when it declared that no compromise was deployed with the tablet. It literally performs everything that its predecessor can do, never mind that it's a bit pricey for its size and Apple has deliberately withheld the much-loved Retina display rendering.

For the average users, or at least those not yet pampered by Retina, the visual quality separating the iPad and the Mini is a non-issue, the tech blog site added.

Citing analyst Dan Frommer, it is likely, The Ticker said, that "Mini sales will soon surpass full-size iPad sales and become Apple's second-best selling gadget after the iPhone."

Yet some experts, while not countering the forecast, were rather more subdued. They think the succeeding Mini editions will be the ones to render the iPad classic obsolete. By that time, Apple would have adjusted the tablet's retail price, making it more affordable, and would have pushed its processing muscle to higher levels, leaving others and its own iPad to eat dust.

And the competition will only get more exciting as analyst toy with gadget specs and capabilities that Apple rival would unleash to again check its formidable dominance, which as proven by Samsung is possible with the Galaxy S3's feat of dethroning the iPhone as the bestselling smartphone brand.