Apple on Tuesday sent out invitations for a special event scheduled for Oct. 23, which is likely to be the launch of a smaller version of the company's iPad tablet computer.

The invitation, received by various media outlets, doesn't reveal details of the event, simply saying: "We've got a little more to show you."

But it is widely expected that Apple will use the occasion to unveil a cheaper iPad with a smaller screen.

Earlier reports said that Apple's new product will feature a 7. 85-inch display, and might be called "iPad mini."

Apple has kept the screen size of its iPad series unchanged at 9.7 inches since the product debuted in January 2010.

The launch of a smaller iPad is seen as Apple's move to stay competitive against rivals such as Google and Amazon, which have introduced 7-inch tablets at prices no more than 200 U.S. dollars. The cheapest iPad now starts from nearly 400 dollars.

The scheduled event will start at 10:00 a.m. local time on Oct. 23, at the California Theatre in downtown San Jose, the largest city within the Silicon Valley.

Apple last introduced a new product at the California Theatre in 2005, when late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs showed off the company's video iPod media player, according to San Jose Mercury News, a local newspaper.