Apple is to debut a diminutive variant of its popular iPad device later today as it angles to grab a bigger slice of the tablet computer market and see off increased competition from competitors including Amazon and Samsung.
Markets have reacted positively to the planned launch with Apple shares rising a further 2% on the news to reach £364.9bn.
A new market has opened up in recent years for devices bigger than a traditional smartphone but smaller than a full-size tablet - and the looming threat of Microsoft joining the party with their Surface devices has likely spurred things further.
Analysts expect the iPad Mini to launch with a screen two inches smaller than its parent and a correspondingly lean price tag of around £155.