Photograph via Engadget A mockup of the next-generation iPad in a new case, according to Engadget.While almost every technology company in the world descends on Las Vegas this week for the Consumer Electronics Show, one major tech company will be missing: Apple. But even in the absence of Steven Jobs and his iProducts, the technology giant’s intimidating presence will be felt in every corner of the event.
This can already be seen in the number of iPad 2 rumors circulating the Web leading up to the show, which officially opens on Thursday.
Several weeks ago, the Japanese blog MacOtakara, citing anonymous sources, said the iPad 2 would look more like the current generation iPod Touch, with a slimmer form and a sleek, curved back. The blog also predicted that the new iPad would have a smaller bezel around its edge and a better speaker system.
AppleInsider, the Mac enthusiast blog, also has previously published reports that the next iPad would have a camera in the front and rear that would enable videoconferencing.
On Wednesday Paul Miller, a writer for Engadget, offered some confirmation for these predictions when he wrote about a new iPad case he saw at the show. It contained a mockup of an iPad. He tried to put his own iPad inside the case, but it wouldn’t fit, he said. Instead, the makers of the case told him that “the case was designed for the next iPad.”
Mr. Miller said that based on what he saw of the case, the new device is smaller and lighter than the original, and also sports the front and rear camera.
He wrote:
Indeed, the mockup that we found inside the case was a tad bit slimmer than the first-gen iPad, with a taper leading to the edges that reminds us of the iPod touch, and a home button positioned nearer the bottom edge.
Photo via Engadget The iPad 2 is expected to be much thinner than the current iPad.