MacRumors reports today on new photos that have been posted on Nowhereelse.fr of what are purported to be a flex cable component for the iPad mini, which holds the mini dock connector, headphone socket and home button connector. MacRumors notes that the part is similar to a part that previously leaked for the next iPhone. Kyle Wiens from tear-down experts iFixit has cast his expert eye over the component, and concluded that it is, indeed, a genuine Apple part, although he stops short of actually confirming it as such. MacRumors notes that the component bears a standard iOS device part number, and one specific to flex cable components at that, so that would all seem to point to it being genuine. The one possible counter to that is the fact that the headphone socket on this part is at the bottom, which goes against the evidence of various case leaks and design drawings for the iPad mini, which all have the headphone socket at the top.

Source: Possible Photo of 'iPad Mini' Dock Connector Flex Cable with Headphone Jack at Bottom - Mac Rumors

Let's hope!