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New Case Supports Rumors of Imminent 9.7-Inch iPad Pro With Smart Connector

Less than two weeks before Apple's rumored March 21 media event (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/02/27/apple-event-march-21-week/), where the company is expected to announce a new 9.7-inch iPad (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ipad/), more aftermarket cases for the iPad Air 2 successor have appeared on Chinese commerce website Alibaba.





The case below, like others before it (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/01/31/ipad-air-3-cases-leak/), has openings for a Smart Connector, four speakers, and a LED camera flash, lending credence to rumors claiming the tablet once tentatively referred to as "iPad Air 3" will instead be a miniaturized iPad Pro.





<img src="(http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2016/03/9.7-inch-iPad-Pro-case.jpg)" alt="9.7-inch-iPad-Pro-case" width="630" height="493" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-492729" /><center>Aftermarket case for new 9.7-inch iPad (Image: iGeneration (http://www.igen.fr/ipad/2016/03/des-etuis-pour-lipad-pro-97-un-port-smart-connector-et-un-flash-95106))</center>


A dummy insert provides a closer look at how the ports could be aligned on the new iPad, including a power button, 3.5mm headphone jack, and two speakers on the top; Lightning connector and two speakers on the bottom; volume buttons and a microphone on the right side; and a Smart Connector on the left side.





Multiple (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/01/25/ipad-air-3-four-speakers-rear-led-flash/) reports (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/02/01/ipad-air-3-design-dimensions-ipad-air-2/) have claimed the new 9.7-inch iPad will have a faster A9X processor (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/02/18/iphone-5se-ipad-air-3-a9-a9x-processors/), Smart Connector, four speakers, and a LED flash, while a sketchier rumor from DigiTimes said the tablet could have a 4K display and up to 4GB of RAM (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/01/28/ipad-air-3-4k-display-4gb-ram-larger-battery/). The tablet is expected to have both Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/02/25/ipad-air-3-branded-ipad-pro/).





<img src="(http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2016/03/9.7-inch-iPad-Pro-case-2.jpg)" alt="9.7-inch-iPad-Pro-case-2" width="631" height="372" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-492728" />


Apple is expected to issue press invites soon for its March 21 event, where a new 4-inch "iPhone SE" (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/03/02/what-the-iphone-se-might-look-like/) and minor Apple Watch updates (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/01/22/march-event-iphone5se-apple-watch-bands/) are also anticipated. There is also a slim possibility that refreshed Macs (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/01/28/skylake-macbooks-2016-release-dates/) could be announced at the event, as the time is right for updates, but there have been no rumors confirming that is the case.

<div class="linkback">Related Roundup: iPad Air 3 (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ipad/)
Tag: Smart Connector (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/smart-connector/)
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Don't Buy) (http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#iPad) </div>
Discuss this article (http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/new-case-9-7-inch-ipad-pro-smart-connector.1960542/) in our forums

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Source: New Case Supports Rumors of Imminent 9.7-Inch iPad Pro With Smart Connector (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/03/10/new-case-9-7-inch-ipad-pro-smart-connector/)