Alleged ‘iPad Air 2’ Physical Mockup Shows Touch ID, Recessed Volume Buttons

Photos purporting to show a physical mockup of Apple’s next-generation iPad Air 2 show tweaked, recessed volume buttons, and a Touch ID-enabled home button. The mockup was first published on Tuesday by Nowhereelse.fr.

The dummy model shows an indented space for two elongated, recessed volume buttons. The current iPad Air sports protruding volume buttons. Weirdly enough, the dummy device also sports a small circular hole in the place of the usual mute/orientation lock switch that is traditionally present on all iPad models to date.

The mockup also sports a blank home button with a silver ring around it, as is found on the white iPhone 5s with its Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Apple is expected to bring Touch ID to it’s iPad lineup on the next-generations, allowing for the same secure access that is now available on the iPhone 5s. Some believe this will also open the door for multi-user support on the tablet.

Other minor changes seen in the mockup include a tiny circular microphone hole next to the camera hole, and the stereo speaker grille to the left and right of the Lightning connector of the device show a single row of circles, contrasting to the two row of smaller holes on the current-generation model.

As always, this mockup is to be taken with a table shaker full of salt, (or salt substitute for those of you with the high-blood pressure thing), and is always subject to change. Like when we find a new set of mockup photos…

(Via AppleInsider)

Chris Hauk

Chris is a Senior Editor at Mactrast. He lives somewhere in the deep Southern part of America, and yes, he has to pump in both sunshine and the Internet.