A number of technology websites worldwide have been fooled by a picture created by an Apple fan which actually looks a lot like a previous mock-up that was leaked 48 hours ago by a Japanese Blog.
The normally reliable BGR (opens in new tab) published an image it received from an anonymous tipster showing what appears to be the iPad 2 complete with a rear facing camera, a redesigned speaker with a grill, a flat pack with tapered edges and a slightly different finish.
They confirmed later that the image was actually created by an Apple fan and was in no way an official render; this didn't prevent Techcrunch (opens in new tab), Crunchgear, Gizmodo (opens in new tab), BusinessInsider (opens in new tab) and many others from republishing the picture.
The picture, which can be found below, is very similar to the mock-up which the Japanese bloggers say was obtained directly from a factory manufacturing the real thing. It is also slightly different from the one that Jeremy Horwitz (opens in new tab) of iLounge, published last week.
The iPad 2 will be released in around 48 hours and is likely to come with a faster processor, better display technology, a thinner chassis, better GPU, the same battery and an altogether different operating system.
