Huawei patents a new possible MatePad with an interesting rear panel

Huawei is currently rumored to have an affordable new tablet called the MatePad T8 in the works. It was thought to launch alongside a 10.4-inch counterpart at the Nova 7 event; however, when it came to it, the apparent 8-inch option was nowhere in sight. Now, even more confusingly, a device that looks much like it has reportedly appeared on the WIPO website.

Then again, this new putative IP may differ from the MatePad T8 as depicted in some leaked marketing material. The patent shows that the "new" tablet has dual side-firing speakers, located along its top and bottom edges. These features are missing from the T8's alleged official images.

Furthermore, the alleged WIPO document also clearly specifies a rear panel with an attractive pattern reminiscent of the Honor 9X series. This detail hints at a glass back, whereas the MatePad T8 has been leaked with a plainer, metallic unibody. 

On the other hand, both of these leaks show a very similar single rear camera module. Therefore, it is possible that they pertain to 2 different variants of the same device. For example, it is possible there is a MatePad T8 Pro in Huawei's future product cycle.

However, should this be the case, it seems the "vanilla" model will have an edge all of its own: it is the only one of these 2 apparent designs shown with a headphone jack.