iPad mini release date allegedly pegged at November 2

As Apple gets to show us “a little more” next Tuesday, and taking into account that Microsoft’s Surface tablet will hit store shelves next Friday, watchers have been wondering whether the iPad mini will be immediately available following the introduction, on the Friday following the event or the following week. The iPhone 5, for example, was unveiled on Wednesday, September 12 and hit store shelves the following week on Friday, September 21. According to a new report citing a source close to a major UK retailer, the iPad mini will hit retail stores on November 2 (that’s a Friday)…

Geeky-Gadgets reports that its source ”close to a major UK retailer” has insider knowledge of the iPad mini release date. The November 2 release date, the source reportedly pointed out, is valid for the United States and the United Kingdom and “possibly some other countries as well”.

We have no track record of this particular source or Geeky-Gadgets when it comes to reporting on Apple apart from the iPhone 5 release date, which the publication correctly predicted a week before Apple announced the device.

Still, take this one with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Having said that, November 2 sounds like a plausible release date, but one may wonder wouldn’t Apple be more interested to put the device on sale the next Friday, just so it spoils Microsoft’s Surface party.

On the other hand, we’ve seen reports of certain production woes that may have forced Apple to push back a bit the planned iPad mini release date.

What do you think, will the iPad mini go on sale on October 26 or November 2?