Apple's iPad mini to start at $329, go on sale Friday

Apple Inc will sell its new 7.9-inch "iPad mini" for $329 and up, higher than some industry observers had expected.

The company, which hopes to beat back rivals such as Google Inc and Amazon.com Inc with their $199 seven-inch tablets, said online sales will begin on Friday and shipments start a week later.

(Reporting By Poornima Gupta and Noel Randewich)