Apple unveils iPad Mini, as expected

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SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Apple has unveiled its long-anticipated iPad Mini at an event in California, announcing a $329 starting price for the 7.9-inch-display device.

Running Apple's iOS 6 software, the iPad Mini's display has a screen resolution of 1,024 x 768 pixels -- the same as the first- and second-generation full-size iPads -- so developers won't need to modify apps to ensure they work with on the smaller device, Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller said.

Introduced at an event at the California Theater in San Jose that was streamed live on the web by Apple, the iPad Mini has a front-facing high-definition camera, with both a WiFi-only and a WiFi/LTE connectivity model to be available.

The iPad Mini generated massive amounts of rumors, with many of them proving accurate as specification and images have been leaking on the Internet for weeks.

The iPad Mini will offer competition for 7-inch tablets from Amazon and Google, although price could be a factor.

From its starting price of $329 for a 16-gigabyte model, Apple will ask an additional $100 for every 16-gigabyte storage upgrade, while the LTE version will carry a $130 premium, putting the most expensive iPad Mini at $659.

In comparison, Amazon's entry-level 7-inch Kindle Fire HD is $199.

Apple said iPad Mini preordering would begin Friday, CNET reported.