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Next Generation for iPad built in Camera?

iSurfHi

iSurfHi

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 30, 2008
173
9
California/Hawaii
Aloha All,
When do you think the next generation iPad will have a camera built in? Do you think next April or summer? Any rumors??? I'm waiting for the next generation but I really want one bad!!!
Mahalo~:apple:
 
I'm not sure the iPad will ever have a camera built in. You would hold up a huge iPad to position a back facing camera to take pictures? To use a front facing camera to video chat you'd have to position the iPad at a 90 degree angle to catch your face--again an awkward positioning. The only way I can see it is if the camera swivels--which I've never seen on an Apple product.

I'd say its more likely that an external camera accessory might be released that you could position more easily for chatting.
 
Well, I dont see it impossible.

I think that it would be a killer feature to have a user facing camera to use it in ichat and skype - to me is the only thing (hardware wise) that is missing.

I dont see why the camera would need to swivel. It works great on my MBP and I don't see how it would be hard to comfortable hold the ipad at a camera friendly angle.

The only problem I see is on what edge should they mount the camera it. I think that on the top (narrow edge) would be better for general purposes.

I really want to get a 16GB iPad ASAP, but an annoying little voice inside me says that I should wait for the second gen. when it hopefully gets the camera and the memory bumped to 32GB (on the base model).

But then again, the iphone did not get a front facing camera in its second or third generation.
 
hdsalinas said:
I think that it would be a killer feature to have a user facing camera to use it in ichat and skype - to me is the only thing (hardware wise) that is missing.

I dont see why the camera would need to swivel. It works great on my MBP and I don't see how it would be hard to comfortable hold the ipad at a camera friendly angle.

The only problem I see is on what edge should they mount the camera it. I think that on the top (narrow edge) would be better for general purposes.

I really want to get a 16GB iPad ASAP, but an annoying little voice inside me says that I should wait for the second gen. when it hopefully gets the camera and the memory bumped to 32GB (on the base model).

But then again, the iphone did not get a front facing camera in its second or third generation.
Click to expand...


It works great on your MBP because the screen is on a hinge which you can adjust to the right angle without holding it in place. On an iPad, you'd have to hold it in front of you like a mirror--and how would you type then? You'd either need a funky stand or a swivel camera to make it work as a built in feature.
 
@Hdsalinas : well... Maybe you want to try this: Sit down with your MBP in your lap, open the lid to an angle that the iPad screen would have when you have it in your lap and take a photo of yourself with front row...

I desperately wanted to have a camera on the iPad until I tried that...

(you know that you really are old when the hair in your nose turn gray...:eek:)
 
Someone once said that Apple purposely excluded a camera because they wanted to break into the academic market, and it makes perfect sense. The classroom is one of the only settings remaining where the camera hasn't taken over. Also, it would be so counter productive for the student as they would become so distracted using services like Skype (although the iPad already has enough distractors to keep a student's attention).

I agree with those points but I think the advantages of having a camera on the iPad vastly outweigh the disadvantages. Well I do.

It's almost guaranteed to canabalize the other Apple products. We all know how Apple feels about that.

One can only dream, OP.
 
iSurfHi said:
Aloha All,
When do you think the next generation iPad will have a camera built in? Do you think next April or summer? Any rumors??? I'm waiting for the next generation but I really want one bad!!!
Mahalo~:apple:
Click to expand...

If you know anyone in Vietnam, ask them. They have all the new Apple stuff before everyone else lately.
 
aluren said:
We'll all find out next January.
Click to expand...

Or the January after that... perhaps 2012... if sales continue like they are. No incentive to do an update in 2011 at this point. So do you want to wait THAT long?

That's always the thing with electronics. There will always be something better around the corner. You should just buy one now for what it has rather than dreaming of device that doesn't even exist yet... if ever.
 
I just don't understand the big deal with having a camera on the ipad. A rear facing camera would make no sense whatsoever for such a large device. A front facing camera would be impractical for a couple of reasons.

Someone already pointed out that your ipad would have to be facing you in an awkward position. Nobody is going to hold it at a perfect 90 degree angle in their hands the whole time without getting uncomfortable, let alone having to try typing at the same time.

Also, nobody pointed out that most people use their ipad in landscape mode. How retarded is it going to be having to tilt the ipad to the perfect angle just to correctly point the camera at your face when in landscape?
 
iPad Camera thoughts

I know quite a few people were disappointed that the iPad had no front-facing camera but there's hope for the 2nd generation. My question is if that's enough? I mean should it have a rear-facing camera too? I know there are some leaks suggesting a camera possibly on the new iPod Touch but would a rear-facing seem a little silly on an iPad? Hold it up and say cheese! Hahaha.
 
I don't think a rear-facing camera has any place on the iPad. Steadying the iPhone to take a picture is hard enough. The iPad would be a nightmare.
 
reckless2k2 said:
would a rear-facing seem a little silly on an iPad? Hold it up and say cheese! Hahaha.
Click to expand...

I think a front facing camera and a rear facing would both be silly on the iPad.

their is just no need. I'm not going to hold up the my iPad at a 90 degree angle to video chat for a prolong period of time and I am not going to whip out my iPad to take photos of any special occasion that I would want to remember.

For quick photos on the go, I have my iPhone. For occasion i want to remember (parties, concerts, trips), I have my nikon. I doubt that Steve Jobs can create a third category in which I want to specifically use the iPad for photos.
 
For those who want a forward facing camera on the iPad -- please explain how you would position the device so that it captures your face *and* type on the screen during a video chat?

Cameras work on laptops because the screen is at an angle to the keyboard. Again, if we see a front facing camera on the iPad it will either be in a swivel or an external accessory--and there will never be a back facing camera. The iPad is too big to take snapshots and people already have cameras on their phones. It's just not practical.
 
I'm sure it will have a camera.

Then everyone will complain it's not 10 MP/1080p and wonder why Apple would do something so stupid and surely an update is just months away.
 
I believe if you check back on some of the early posts of iPad parts you will the the frame had an opening to support a front facing camera, I believe it was even a front page posting
 
ReallyOldGuy said:
I believe if you check back on some of the early posts of iPad parts you will the the frame had an opening to support a front facing camera, I believe it was even a front page posting
Click to expand...

it was for the ambient light censor. its still their now if you look closely.

from iFixIt iPad teardown.

 
I think we will see a camera, but it will not be built in. Go to a bright spot, so your face is illuminated and the iPad is in shade and then look at your own reflection. You will see roughly what would be transmitted by an iPad internal camera. It is a view only an Ear, Nose an Throat doctor could love. An external port mounted camera could tilt and swivel for a more natural view.

My big beef with Skype and all the other services VOIP, is poor web capacity to support video. It is either too choppy or interrupts your video or freezes the frames in the most unflattering positions. Until the web can carry magnitude of order greater traffic, it will remain a novelty.

If Apple implements the USB drivers for webcams, it would be a far better solution. Webcams that have actual lenses, instead of being the pinhole variety, have far greater depth of field and contrast range. Even on my new MacBook Pro, the camera has such a narrow dynamic range, I have to ensure I am frontally lighted to get a good picture out that it is not burned out or looking like I am doing a secret interview for 20/20. You know, a plug in for that voice scrambler would be rather neat and round out the effect.
 
Well I still think that a front facing camera would be a great idea. You dont need a keyboard since you are in a video conference.

Perhaps it is not the most comfortable way to chat, but there has been occasion (like family reunions) where I have grabbed my MBP and walked around the house so that far way family could see what was going on here. We even held had a skype baby shower for my sister who leaves in Mexico.

Now a rear facing camera is probably not a good idea.
 
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