Edible Apple

Despite Tim Cook’s promise that Apple was going to “double down on secrecy” when it comes to their upcoming products, we effectively knew everything there was to know about the iPhone 5 weeks before it was released. Similarly, there have been no shortage of photos of alleged iPad Mini parts floating around along with purportedly accurate physical mockups and cases for Apple’s iPad Mini, which to be clear still doesn’t officially exist.

All that said, Macotakara – which has a pretty solid track record when it comes to Apple rumors – is reporting that a case manufacturer has apparently halted production on its iPad Mini cases due to what may be a last-minute change in the form factor of the device.

Large OEM mobile accessory maker has stopped their iPad mini case production, because the form of iPad mini seems to be changed.

Source told me the round shape seems changed, then case designed based on leaked iPad mini may be dropped.

So it may very well be the case that all of those leaked iPad Mini parts, casings and mockups that have been popping up sporadically throughout the blogosphere may not be representative of what the final product will look like.

While leaked iPhone 5 moldings and cases were overwhelmingly on point with what the iPhone 5 ultimately looked like, keep in mind that sometimes manufacturers, in their zeal to have cases ready for shipment the minute a new Apple product is announced, have in the past jumped the gun. You might remember that before Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S, it was widely assumed that the device would sport a teardrop form factor based on leaked schematics and case moldings. But as it turned out, the teardrop form factor was merely a prototype iPhone model Apple was toying around with and one that, obviously, never made it to production.

The extent of whatever form factor change Apple has implemented remains unknown, and it’s entirely likely that it’s not even one of significance. But with cases designed to fit snug around a device down to the millimeter, even the smallest of changes could render a pre-existing case design useless.

Again, the iPad Mini still does not officially exist, but the Wall Street Journal recently reported that production on the rumored device has already begun with Apple having already put in component orders suggesting a quarterly run of 10 million units. Recently a rumor suggested that invitations to an iPad Mini special event would be sent out on Wednesday, October 9, so be on the lookout for that tomorrow.

via MacRumors