Apple to send out invites for iPad mini event on Oct. 10, suggesting mid-October launch and shipping November?

According to a report from Fortune, which cited a “major Apple investor,” Apple is apparently preparing to launch the much-rumoured iPad mini with invitations expected to go out Oct. 10:

According to our source, who asked not be named, there appears to be some truth to the widespread rumors that Apple is preparing to launch a smaller and cheaper version of the iPad — often called the iPad mini or iPad air and usually described as having a 7.85-inch screen… What our source adds is the specificity of a date: The press, he says, can expect invitations to go out on Oct. 10.

Author of the post, Fortune’s Philip Elmer-DeWitt, is well connected with AAPL analysts and big traders, and the report noted the invitation rumor is coming from multiple reliable sources. If there is any truth to the rumor, it could line up nicely with an Oct. 17 unveiling and possibly an early November launch.

Apple to Announce 4Q 2012 Earnings on October 25

Apple today updated its investor relations page to note that it will announce its earnings for the fourth fiscal quarter (third calendar quarter) of 2012, as well as results for the full fiscal year, on Thursday, October 25. The earnings release typically occurs just after 4:30 PM Eastern Time following the close of regular stock trading, and the conference call is scheduled to follow at 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific.


MacRumors will provide running coverage of the earnings release and conference call.

The release will provide a look into the strength of iPhone 5 sales in the first weeks of availability. Apple reported weaker than expected results three months ago on lower-than-expected iPhone sales, and the company provided guidance for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 expecting revenue of $34 billion and earnings per diluted share of $7.65.

If Apple meets that guidance, the company will log

Sorry Apple, Data Show Samsung Had The Best Phone Ad Of The Year So Far

As the battle between Samsung and Apple rages on, the audience has spoken. According to Ace Metrix, Americans think that the February spot introducing the Galaxy Note is the best phone ad of the year.
But there's some consolation for Apple fans.
Although Samsung's recent ad that bashed the iPhone 5 prior to its release might be one of the tech world's fastest growing viral video, data shows that people liked Apple's real ads for the new smartphone — which premiered days later — more.
Ace Metrix measures how viewers perceive national TV ads (based on criteria including relevance and watchability). Based on scores ranging from one to 950, two iPhone 5 commercials trumped the Samsung ad that mocked the device.
This comes a few days after news that Samsung's tablet ads are crushing iPad spots.
In a press release, Ace Metrix CEO Peter Daboll explained that, "While they [Apple is] still neck and neck with Samsung from an ad effectiveness perspective in the mobile phone category, Apple’s performance in promoting the iPhone 5 was an improvement vs. many of the recent celebrity efforts for Siri. However, the iPhone 'launch' ads almost always perform well – part of the 'i-phoria' that accompanies these new product introductions."
The table below ranks the highest scoring mobile device ads so far in 2012. The new Samsung and Apple spots are in bold. While the new iPhone 5 spots (and an old one featuring Zooey Deschanel) beat the Samsung spoof, the commercial introducing the Samsung Galaxy Note has the overall number one spot with a score of 686

Apple should be thanking the ladies for this boost. According to the press release, "While the new iPhone ads appealed across demographic breaks, they performed particularly well with younger women, especially wealthier females. In addition, the panoramic camera ad appealed heavily to moms, while the other three ads skewed more heavily to a younger audience."