Over the last two months, a number of rumors have surfaced that suggest that the second-generation iPad is soon to be unveiled. Apple (News - Alert) has yet to confirm any of these speculative reports, however, and has been very tightlipped about an expected launch date for the second iteration of the company's highly popular tablet device.

Apple's legendary secrecy regarding its upcoming product launches is the reason why the media world was shocked today to see a completed iPad 2 case at this year's Electronics Show, which recently kicked off in Las Vegas.

Engadget was the first to report that a Chinese accessory maker called Dexim was showing off a case that purportedly fits the specifications of the next iPad. The case features front- and rear-facing holes for dueling cameras and a large square cut out of the back for a bigger speaker. Dexim's accessory is also designed for a much slimmer device than the first-generation iPad. The case even contained a machined mockup of what the company believes to be the next Apple tablet.

So the question is, does Dexim know something that the rest of us don't, or did the company simply design the case based on pure speculation? As we reported earlier, most industry insiders anticipate that the iPad 2 will be slimmer and contain front- and rear-facing cameras.

Frankly, it wouldn't be all that surprising to find out that Dexim is taking a calculated risk and is hoping that the rumored specs are accurate.

Back in 2008, accessory makers XSKN and Vaja each showcased iPhone (News - Alert) Nano cases on their website, only to find out that Apple never actually built the mini smartphone. PadGadget speculates that Dexim may even be showing off the accessory to gain a bit of name recognition and marketing. If that is the case, the plan is working.

For now, we will just have to wait and see if Dexim has this one right. In the meantime, check out CEO of TMC, Rich Tehrani's (News - Alert) blog displaying the new iPad 2 cases.

Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Stefanie Mosca