The iPad Mini is supposedly going to be revealed this month. A rumor points to Apple sending out press invites for the iPad Mini event on October 10. The device will then be revealed on October 17. The latest rumor seems to suggest that the iPad Mini will be ready for millions of eager shoppers this holiday season.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the iPad Mini is now being manufactured on a mass scale across China. It was already suspected that Foxconn would be manufacturing the device, but there was no concrete proof until now. Those familiar with the situation said that iPad Mini will feature a lower resolution screen that’s currently being produced AU Optronics and LG.

Ever since the iPhone 5 was released, all of the attention has turned to the iPad Mini. Apple’s latest phone did incredibly well, but it did miss some investor’s expectations. The iPad Mini is something that could go above and beyond everybody’s expectations. It’s expected to launch at a lower price point to appeal to the tablet market that’s currently cornered by Amazon and Google.

If the device is already in full production, we can expect a launch by the end of October or early November. They should also be able to have plenty of iPad Minis available at launch to avoid delays in shipments. A constant supply of the rumored device could help Apple win the holiday season as Amazon and Google are ramping up their efforts to market the Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7 respectively.

We got our first really good look at the iPad Mini yesterday, but the device is still just a rumor. Steve Jobs famously said that a tablet under 10-inches was no longer a tablet. It’s the Tim Cook show now and things are different. The iPad Mini will be the first true test of what an Apple without Steve Jobs can do. The iPad Mini is most assuredly real, but will it resonate with consumers like previous iOS devices? A recent survey seems to indicate that it will.