Apple now producing iPad mini, claims WSJ

Apple has begun production of a smaller alternative to the iPad, dubbed the 'iPad mini', according to reports.

Apple has begun mass production of a new tablet pitched as a smaller alternative to the iPad, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The paper cited Asian component suppliers within Apple's supply chain, referencing two people familiar with the device who declined to be named.

According to the sources, Apple's rumored product, dubbed the 'iPad Mini', will have a 7.85-inch liquid-crystal display -- noticeably smaller than the iPad 3's 9.7-inch screen. It will also be lower resolution than the iPad 3's Retina display.

The 'iPad Mini' is thought to be Apple's response to the smaller, less expensive tablets offered by its rivals, including Google, Samsung and Amazon.

Source: News.cnet.com