14 DAY TRIAL // The same source leaking a purported engineering sample of Apple’s next-generation iPhone has also obtained exclusive images of an iPad mini case mold, it claims.
GottaBeMobile suggests the photos of this iPad mini “engineering sample” come from the same trusted source inside the Apple supply chain who had previously produced “iPhone 5 engineering sample photos.”
The iPad mini sample is believed to be used in the production of third-party accessories.
It is not uncommon for Apple to “misplace” the blueprints of its unreleased products, especially in recent years, but the company is also known to leak erroneous specs on purpose, in order to throw off the media. As such, it remains to be seen whether or not these leaks pan out.
The photos, however, indicate that Apple’s iPad mini will be roughly two thirds the size of a current-generation iPad. According to one image, the tablet will be equipped with the same mini dock connector rumored to be making its way into the iDevice ecosystem starting with the iPhone 5 this fall.
The iPad mini sample, unfortunately, doesn’t bear markers for the display size, but the consensus is that Apple is sourcing 7.85-inch LCDs with 1024 x 768 pixels.
Because of the reduced screen real estate, the viewing experience on such a display would be superior to the 10-inch display of the iPad 1 and iPad 2 (both of which featured the same 1024 x 768 resolution), but not quite as Retina-ish as the third-generation iPad.
The site leaking the images in question speculates that Apple’s smaller, fourth-generation iPad could house a Retina display, as Sharp’s IGZO production has ramped up and is capable of outputting 330 ppi (pixels per inch). This, we stress, is pure speculation for now.
Although a Retina viewing experience is always welcome, Apple’s plan to take down competitors one by one does include a low selling point (which implicitly means low production costs too).
Apple could unveil its iPad mini at the iPhone 5 event this fall, pundits say.
