Supposed leaks of the iPad Air 2 are finally starting to get some press, although the iPhone 6 rumors continue to dominate the technology community. We heard recently that the supposed iPhone 6 mockups that have been shown off are probably fakes designed to reveal to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) which of its associates are able to keep a secret. Of course we have no way of knowing if today’s supposed leak of an iPad Air 2 mockup is real, but if it is, there’s not too much of interest.
iPad Air 2 shows changes to volume buttons
This allegedly leaked mockup comes from Japanese website ASCII Plus. They show some pretty subtle changes in design. Unsurprisingly, it’s even thinner than the current iPad Air model, which is only 7.5 millimeters. The Japanese site estimates that it could be about a millimeter thinner. The volume buttons in the alleged mockup are recessed rather than protruding like they are on the original iPad Air.
The mockup also features the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and a display that’s the same size. The resolution is expected to be the same as that of the original iPad Air, at 2,048 x 1,536, which amounts to 264 pixels per square inch. The iPad Air 2 is also expected to sport an 8-megapixel rear camera, which would be an improvement from the current model’s 5-megapixel rear camera.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s logo is also missing from the back, although this is pretty typical with mockups of other devices that have been seen. In addition, ASCII Plus points out that the mockup has more of a diamond bezel
Why the iPad Air 2 mockup might not be real
Cult of Mac notes a couple of reasons to be skeptical of these photos. Perhaps the biggest divergence from last year’s iPad Air is the lack of a lock switch. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) doesn’t have any other devices that don’t have a lock switch, so this seems like an odd choice. However, the site suggests that Apple is trying to reduce the number of buttons on the iPad Air 2 to as few as possible, thus potentially replacing the physical lock switch with one that can be accessed through the notification center.
The other thing the website finds suspicious is the recessed volume controls.
