With the iPhone 5 now effectively taken care of (okay, so there's the small matter of a near-universal 3-4 week shipping delay, but supply constraints aside the launch was an unabashed success), global tech attention is once again starting to settle around that other most coveted of unconfirmed Apple products: the elusive 'iPad Mini'.

The device, thought to sport a 7.85-inch display and likely to go by another name once officially released, is said to have been the subject of a more than 10-million-unit order according to Asian component makers, indicating Apple is betting big on the smaller tablet, with some analysts expecting Q4 sales in the lead-up to Christmas to be in the vicinity of 5-7 million purchases. Rumours hitherto have intimated Apple will announce the product sometime this month.

But perhaps the more exciting prospect is the suggestion that Apple won't be compromising on quality or features when it comes to the iPad Mini, which has oft been viewed as creating a new budget entry point in the iPad lineup. According to All Things D's sources, the iPad Mini, while still cheaper to the consumer, won't be cutting any corners and could even "outshine the new iPad in terms of how the device feels in a consumer’s hands." We'll see.