AllThingsD is reporting that a 7-inch iPad Mini will debut in October, at an event separate from the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 is widely expected to come at an event on Sept. 12, though Apple has made no official announcements yet. It was previously thought that the two devices would be unveiled at the same time.

The article cites another blog, Daring Fireball, that discusses at length the merits of having two separate events:

I don’t think Apple would want reviews of both a new iPhone and new-size iPad appearing at the same time. Why share the spotlight? Why have another Apple product battling with the iPhone for the top spots in news coverage? So I thought, well, maybe they’d only seed the review units of the iPhone on September 12, with the new-size iPad going into reviewer hands a few weeks later.

But the more I think about it, the less sense it makes for the iPhone to even share the stage at the announcement with any other product. The iPhone is too big, too cool, and garners too much attention — and it’s in Apple’s interest to keep that attention undiluted.

Apple is having a good week, as a US jury handed down a major victory for them in their ongoing legal battles with Samsung. The news and positive outlook then sent Apple’s stock prices even higher.

With all that going for them, why wouldn’t Apple want to stretch out the good feelings as long as possible?

Bookmark to: