New iPad mini case mold shows thinner bezels, no Home button, and more

As rumors surrounding an impending iPad mini refresh swirl, a supposed mold has now appeared online. This mold, if legitimate, is likely one that case makers would use to make sure that their new products will fit the upcoming tablet.

Initially shared by Techordo and spotted by 9to5Mac, the mold appears in multiple photos as well as a short YouTube video.

From the photos and video, we can see much of what has already been heavily rumored. That includes a new symmetric shape that does away with chunky bezels. That also means the removal of the Home button, with Touch ID making the move to the power button instead.

Source: Techordo

There are inconsistencies here, though. As the original report notes, the power and volume buttons are on the top of the device here, suggesting something is amiss. However, it's possible that is simply a defect in the manufacturing of this mold rather than a design decision by Apple.

The 2021 edition of the iPad Mini 6 has a squarish design, similar to the iPad Pro model. That includes a flat screen and back cover, and thin symmetrical bezels. The front camera of the device is on the top bezel, while the back seems to have a bigger than before single lens camera on the left corner. Both the power and volume buttons are on the top of the device but David's source can't confirm if that's not a manufacturing defect of aluminium jig so don't take that too serious.

All being well we expect Apple to announce the new iPad mini within the next few months and almost certainly before the end of 2021. It'll be the best iPad for a ton of people thanks to its small size and could well be the perfect note-taking machine for students thanks to its Apple Pencil support.