With Apple's Oct. 22 media event just around the corner, excitement and expectations are building up and we have high hopes for the iPad Mini 2.

The iPad Mini is now one year old and Apple is expected to unveil the new and improved successor in just a couple of days. While the company did not reveal what devices it will announce at the Oct. 22 event, the iPad Mini 2 is most likely on the list.

Nothing is certain for now in terms of specs and the iPad Mini is still shrouded in mystery, but there are some great expectations. For most iOS fans, the second-generation iPad Mini should retain the same overall form factor, come with iOS 7 on board, sport a Retina display and a faster processor. Whether Apple will deliver or not remains to be seen, but these are the general expectations.

Retina display

The original iPad Mini launched with a 7.9-inch display with a resolution of 1,024 x 768 pixels. While it's a decent resolution, it bears no comparison to Apple's "resolutionary" Retina display. If the company failed to pack one into the current-generation iPad Mini, the successor is widely expected to have Retina display resolution with a higher pixel density.

Design

The iPad Mini 2 is widely expected to retain the same design as its predecessor, albeit with a potential increase in thickness to accommodate a larger battery to power the Retina display. With the introduction of new color options with the new-generation iPhones, some also expect the second-generation iPad Mini to come in at least one additional color option, most likely that Champagne Gold color the iPhone 5S sports.

A7 processor

The new iPad Mini is further expected to pack a faster processor, maybe even the A7 or the A7X. The original iPad Mini packed an older A5 processor, however, which may indicate that the iPad Mini 2 may have an A6 chipset instead of the 64-bit A7 or A7X.

Touch ID

Apple introduced its new fingerprint scanner called Touch ID with its new iPhone 5S. While the technology created a great buzz and plenty of controversy, many expect the iPad Mini 2 and iPad 5 to come with Touch ID a well. There has been no concrete evidence to support this claim, however.

Pricing

Apple historically offers its iOS devices at roughly the same price points, year over year. Based on this, the iPad Mini 2 could sport a $329 price tag for the 16GB model. On the other hand, the expected Retina display and higher-end specs and features may commend a slightly higher price tag. Either way, the second-generation iPad Mini is expected to remain affordable.

Launch

The iPad Mini 2 is widely expected to make its debut in just a couple of days, at Apple's Oct. 22 event that will take place in San Francisco. We'll keep you updated as soon as we learn more.