Alleged iPad Mini cases reveal spot for rear camera

Apple's purported iPad Mini could offer a rear camera if the latest scuttbut is on the money.

Alleged Chinese cases for the much-rumored 7-inch tablet posted by Giz-China.com show a plastic clip on the rear cover, a sign that the iPad Mini could provide a rear-facing camera but one without an LED flash. On the front would be a Facetime camera at the top center of the screen, just like on the 9.7-inch iPad.

The cases also seemingly reveal a thinner bezel than the one on the larger iPad. The volume control would rest on the right side, while the headphone jack and rotation/mute toggle switch would move to the left. Another tidbit from Giz-China.com says the speaker would be positioned Apple iPhone 4S - 32GB - black (Verizon Wireless)on the bottom of the tablet rather than on the back.

A mockup of one of the cases also reveals a smaller dock connector. Recent reports suggest that Apple will shrink the size of the dock connector for its next-generation devices to a smaller version using as few as 8 pins.

As always, these rumors should be swallowed with a grain of salt.

At this point, we don't even know for sure whether Apple will unveil a 7-inch iPad. But we could have our answer this fall. Reports say the new iPad could take the stage either at a September 12 event or at its own separate event in October.