Alleged iPad Air 2/iPad 6 dummy design leaks out, Touch ID fingerprint scanner is a

Alleged iPad Air 2/iPad 6 dummy design leaks out, Touch ID fingerprint scanner is a go

There are still months before Apple's traditional fall announcements, but its eventual 2014 portfolio has already started leaking hard and fast, commencing with the iPhone 6. So far we've seen many shells, dummies and mockups of the upcoming iPhone(s), but now for the first time we are getting something entirely different - an alleged dummy of this year's iPad Air successor.

Call it iPad Air 2, iPad 6, or whatever suits your fancy, but the dummy unit below is claimed to be an exact representation of what the 2014 iPad will look like, down to the thickness dimensions, and the side buttons. If this leak holds water, the big news is that we are indeed going to see Apple's venerable Touch ID fingerprint scanner make the leap from the iPhone to the iPad line, as its embedded circular home key is clearly visible at the bottom of the device. This has been rumored to happen for a while, including by analysts, who also chimed in claiming that the new iPad will sport Apple's upcoming A8 chipset, too, which isn't hard to believe.

Looking around the sides, we find the volume buttons on their typical place top right, but the lock key is conspicuously missing, with only a small opening visible in its place there, which might be due simply to the fact that this is a dummy unit. Moreover, there's what looks like a microphone opening next to the camera unit on the back, so subtle changes in design might be in store with the iPad line refresh this year. Besides the upgraded processor, we can only guess what other internals might be new, but one thing is for sure - if this dummy is a veritable representation of the upcoming iPad line refresh, you'll be able to use all the goodies that come standard with the Touch ID fingerprint scanner on Apple's tablets, too.