Claimed iPad mini 5 case hints at Apple Pencil 2 support, new cameras, headphone jack & more

A third-party semi-transparent case that appears to have been designed for Apple’s unreleased fifth-generation iPad mini was posted earlier today by leak aggregator SlashLeaks, showing a pill-shaped vertical cutout on the rear side instead of the regular circular cutout.

While the position of the cutout is consistent with camera placement on existing models of Apple’s miniature tablet, the fact that it’s vertically oriented rather than horizontally, like before, almost certainly points to a major upgrade in the camera department.

The cutout is likely for an upgraded camera system along with LED flash (which might be integrated in the camera hump itself; Apple started doing this with iPhone 7). There may even be dual rear cameras given Apple’s augmented reality push and the fact that AR apps benefit from increased tracking precision afforded by having two cameras rather than one.

We also see what appears to be a rear mic hole relocated to the top center of the device, plus a headphone jack hole at the top and, possibly, a cutout for a Smart Connector.

Apple could release a smaller Smart Keyboard for iPad mini 5, but its miniature footprint would make it awkward to type on. Another possibility: this cutout is for Apple Pencil 2 support.

It’s unclear if the case is genuine or just an educated guess of the dimensions of the next iPad mini. For what it’s worth, rumor has it that the Cupertino tech giant might release a tentatively named “iPad mini 5” and a new 10-inch low cost iPad in the first half of 2019.

What do you guys make of this?