iPad mini case emerges with render of the tablet

When it comes to Apple product leaks, all one needs to do is look in the direction of third party case manufacturers. At times, they have sources within the Apple supply chain that provide them with accurate information regarding an upcoming product. Case makers then use this knowledge to bring out cases, and in turn, the general public gets a glimpse of what Apple is going to offer.

There is talk that Apple are set to unveil a smaller version of the iPad. This upcoming tablet from them is being dubbed the iPad mini due to the fact that it is expected to come in a smaller form factor as opposed to the 9.7-inch slate the brand currently manufactures. A report by 9to5Mac has information that case manufacturer DeviceWear had posted a page showing a render of the iPad mini, which was later took it down.

The mini dock seen

From the leaked images obtained by 9to5Mac we can see that the iPad mini features a mini dock that is expected to become a traditional part of forthcoming iOS devices. This doc will feature a 19-point configuration as opposed to the 30-pin version available on past and current iOS devices. Apart from the dock, there appears to be a speaker grille at the bottom and this is a similar design that is expected to be featured on the next generation iPhone.

The hole at the back for the microphone

Apart from the smaller dock at the bottom of the iPad, the case also has openings at the back for a camera and what appears to be a microphone. The inclusion of a mic at the back of the tablet should help the tablet in noise cancellation or improve audio quality while capturing videos that are captured during video recording using the rear camera.

Last year, Case-Mate, a major case manufacturer had put up a page showing off cases of what they claimed was the iPhone 5, prior to the launch of the iPhone 4S. The information was completely off the mark and Apple did not release a product that resembled what they had previewed on their website. Shortly after they put up the page, Case-Mate had taken it down; this led many to believe in the authenticity of the images.

This may be the case with the iPad mini case leak and 9to5Mac states, “We’re not too sure what to make of that, but last year, case maker Case-Mate did the same for the iPhone 5. Their design was false, but they did create some media attention for themselves. It’s possible that DeviceWear is playing that game this year.”

The iPad mini is expected to feature a display size measuring 7.85-inches and will go head-to-head with other similar sized tablets such as the Amazon Kindle Fire and the Google Nexus 7, the latter of which is making a major mark in the tablet segment, and in the process have sold out the 16GB models of the device.