Apple expected to unveil updated iPads at event next week

Apple has sent out invitations to an event tomorrow week (Oct. 16th), when the company is said to be planning to reveal its latest iPad tablets ahead of the holiday shopping season.

The event will be held at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, the company said today in an e-mail.

“It’s been way too long,” the invitation said.

Apple is set to introduce a new version of its 9.7-inch iPad and the smaller iPad mini, a person familiar with the plan has said.

Chief executive Tim Cook is working to shake up the iPad line as sales of the tablets, Apple's second-biggest product by revenue, have declined for two straight quarters.

The company hasn’t introduced a new iPad since last October, and consumers have instead been shifting to smartphones with bigger screens.

The new iPads follow the release of Apple’s latest iPhones, the 6 and 6 Plus, which have larger screens than the company’s older devices. The phones were unveiled in September, along with a smartwatch and new mobile-payment system, as Mr Cook seeks to build out the company’s key products and move into new categories.

Apple is adding a gold color option for its full-size iPads, people familiar with the plans said earlier this month. The company also is developing a bigger iPad, with a 12.9-inch screen to be introduced next year, people familiar with the plans have said.

The company sold a record of more than 10 million iPhones during the debut weekend of the new models. – Bloomberg