Eyes on Apple for new iPads at US event

According to Global tablet shipments will reach 184 million units this year in a 53.4 percent rise

Apple is on Tuesday expected to show off slick new iPads to take on rival tablet makers during the prime year-end holiday shopping season.

The culture-changing California company has revealed little about an invitation-only event in San Francisco, but analysts believe a spotlight will shine on the iPad line.

"Job One for Apple is to get something out there on the large-size iPad that gets people excited, then obviously from a specification focus, the Mini needs to catch up with what everybody else has done," NPD analyst Stephen Baker told AFP.

"There are a lot of other things happening in that large-size tablet space and there is a huge amount of choice in smaller devices."

Industry tracker Gartner on Monday forecast that global tablet shipments will reach 184 million units this year in a 53.4 percent rise from last year.

The high-end of the market, where iPads dominate, has seen people opting for small tablets which cost less than full-sized models, according to Gartner.

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