iPad Air 3 case spotted on Alibaba

The next-gen iPad Air is expected to arrive in March, but that still has to be officially confirmed. In the meantime, we hear more and more rumors about its specs, and it looks like the time has already come for the first cases to go on sale.

Japanese website Macoatakara was apparently the first one to spot a case for the upcoming iPad tablet on Alibaba and, as it usually happens in this kind of situation, an empty protective shell can reveal a few interesting facts about the device it will protect.

If the case spotted on Alibaba is the real thing, this means that Apple's iPad Air 3 will pack three significant changes: Smart Connector for better connectivity with various accessories like keyboards, a flash for the back camera for improved low-light photos, as well as four speakers for excellent audio.

Previous reports mentioned the four speakers already, so the images of this case seem to confirm that leak. It has also been said that iPad Air 3 will not offer 3D Touch support due to a production error. The new iPad is expected to launch next to the 4-inch iPhone 5SE and a few new smart wearables.