A customer works with an Apple iPad during an iPad launch event at the Apple retail store in San Francisco. Apple Inc's iPad hit store shelves on Saturday after months of intense buzz, giving shoppers their first chance to decide whether the tablet device is worth all the breathless publicity.
"Only after the next-generation iPhone is out the door and on sale will Apple announce the smaller iPad it's been working on," it said.
Apple bites Samsung, wins $1 bn in patent case
"That device, which is expected to have a display of less than eight inches (20 centimeters), will be uncrated at a second special event, which sources say is currently scheduled for October."
Apple iPhone 5 pre-orders to begin on Sept 12?
The 10-inch iPad has long dominated the tablet market, but faces a growing challenge from smaller models like Amazon's Kindle Fire, the Google Nexus 7 and the Samsung Galaxy.
Apple slammed over iPhone, iPad location tracking
Apple is expected to launch the miniature iPad later this year, with analysts saying it could allow the California-based company to again best its global rivals despite the death last year of visionary founder Steve Jobs.