The Chinese are at it again. Is this a leaked photo of an iPad mini or just a mock-up? Chinese blog Bolopad, leaked photos of what appears to be a working iPad mini. The
first English speaking blog to report on it was Apple Insider and they feel that this is probably just a prototype. Personally I don’t think is even an Apple prototype. There are many mini factories and workshops where these sorts of things can be thrown together. With the number of fake iPhones, iPods and iPads that are floating around, it has to make you wonder if the Apple ecosystem/production process just become to big to control.
The casing however is probably a direct copy of what the real iPad mini is likely to look like. So although it is not the actual device it is probably an accurate representation what we can expect. If so then the rear facing camera (RFC), speakers on the bottom and the lightning connector also on the bottom are probably come into fruition.
One thing to consider though, is that the iPad mini is rumored to be assembled in Taiwan at Pegatron. So why would the leak be on a Chinese blog and not a Taiwanese one? A possible answer is that this is a deliberate leak by Apple to stem the sales of the Android Kindle Fire HD. That popular little tablet pc is probably Apples biggest potential threat to sales of the iPad mini and reminding the Apple fan base that a miniature version of the popular iPad is on it’s way could potential make them wait. If the iPad mini comes in at a price of less than $300 I don’t Apple are going to have to worry about not making enough sales! I think their main problem will be trying to supply the insane demand this will produce!
