A number of photos of the rear shell of the "iPad mini", both alleged actual parts and physical mockups, have been leaking in recent weeks, but a Nowhereelse.fr points to a new set [Google translation] at Chinese site NetEase showing in fairly good detail both the interior and exterior of the shell. The part is alleged to be a legitimate rear shell leaked from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in Shenzhen, China.
The pictures show a number of details of the rear shell, including the opening for Apple's smaller dock connector expected to debut on the iPhone 5 next week, a rear camera hole, and the interior lip where the display and front panel will be attached. The shell appears to be for a Wi-Fi model, as it lacks a cutout for a SIM card and an open section along the top edge for a plastic window covering where the cellular antennas would be.
As with other recently-leaked photos, the rear shell shows relatively little tapering compared to the current full-size iPad, instead carrying a rounded, almost partial bullnose profile along the sides.
While Apple is holding a media event next Wednesday, the company is said to be focusing on the new iPhone for this event and planning a separate media event for October to introduce the iPad mini.
Apple is planning to debut a high-end secondary version of AirPods Pro 3 this year, sitting in the lineup alongside the current model, reports suggest.
Back in September 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual since Apple normally waits around three years to make major...
Tuesday January 20, 2026 2:34 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Over the last few months, rumors around the iPhone 18 Pro's front-panel design have been conflicted, with some supply-chain leaks pointing to under-display Face ID, reports suggesting a top-left hole-punch camera, and debate over whether the familiar Dynamic Island will shrink, shift, or disappear entirely.
Today, Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital shared new details that appear to clarify the ...
Sunday January 18, 2026 3:51 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 27 is still many months away, but there are already plenty of rumors about new features that will be included in the software update.
The first beta of iOS 27 will be released during WWDC 2026 in June, and the update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense...
Sunday January 18, 2026 6:50 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
MacBook Pro availability is tightening on Apple's online store, with select configurations facing up to a two-month delivery timeframe in the United States.
A few 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro configurations with an M4 Pro chip are not facing any shipping delay, but estimated delivery dates for many configurations with an M4 Max chip range from February 6 to February 24 or even later. At...
Tuesday January 20, 2026 4:36 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple's App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple TV service are experiencing an outage at the current time, according to Apple's System Status page.
Apple says that some users may be experiencing issues with the App Store and iTunes Store. Apple also says some users may be seeing intermittent issues with Apple TV. The Apple TV Channels feature is down too, and users may be unable to access some...
Most likely fake, there's no Apple logo cutout. Remember that this is where the Wi-Fi antenna goes since it can't go through metal.
No cutout = No WiFi.
It should have a cutout like this:
EDIT: The Wi-Fi antenna could still go somewhere else, such as in the front bezel.
It's also weird that the "iPad" logo appears to have a reflective finish. All products names on aluminium are usually laser engraved in black, like this:
To all who think it's going to be $200, you are dreaming. The Nexus 7 is sold at cost, with a plastic cases and only 8GB storage. The iPad mini is going to be a full featured, high quality 7" tablet, something that doesn't yet exist in the marketplace. It's going to be for the consumer that wants a lighter, more compact tablet, not one who is trolling for the least expensive option.
