All iPads Will future FaceTime cameras be repositioned?

[satchmo]

Of course this year with the pandemic everyone is using FaceTime a lot more.

We may get back to normal once a vaccine is developed. But it’s not just a one year virus. Unfortunately this and other viruses will be with us in the future in one form or another.

So I’m not sure how or if Apple will respond.

Do we think think future FaceTime cameras will be placed along the horizontal edge?

 

[JD2015]

Is the number 1 hardware change that I would love to see happen.

 

[aakshey]

There is no reason to believe any such thing will happen for another 100 years.

 

[Venderious]

There is no reason to believe any such thing will happen for another 100 years.

Wrong. With the current rate of globalisation and worrying increases in world population, spread of infectious diseases will become much more likely by the minute. It might not be of the scale of the current pandemic, but there definitely will be more pandemics. Our health care and response systems have to be properly redesigned in order to combat this. However, it is not limited to these systems, but the entire arrangement of society will never fully return to normal.

 

[aakshey]

Wrong. With the current rate of globalisation and worrying increases in world population, spread of infectious diseases will become much more likely by the minute. It might not be of the scale of the current pandemic, but there definitely will be more pandemics. Our health care and response systems have to be properly redesigned in order to combat this. However, it is not limited to these systems, but the entire arrangement of society will never fully return to normal.

This is all Sci Fi nonsense. After this pandemic ends, nobody will bother with any of this crap. It’s pretty much common sense. The world in 5 years would be like COVID 2019 never happened. At least from an attitude/precautions perspective.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

This is all Sci Fi nonsense. After this pandemic ends, nobody will bother with any of this crap. It’s pretty much common sense. The world will in 5 years would be like COVID 2019 never happened. At least from an attitude/precautions perspective.

Yup. Spanish Flu, Hong Kong Flu, etc. We just move on. Vaccines just mitigate your risk. This China virus thing is just gonna stay. Cold, flu, and COVID season will be the new term.

 

[satchmo]

There is no reason to believe any such thing will happen for another 100 years.

We're all entitled to our opinions.

Anyways, my intent is not to turn this into a political discussion. It's more about the front facing FaceTime camera and usability. Perhaps some are happy using it in portrait mode. But in my Zoom meetings, I find horizontal orientation to be more useful.

 

[Digitalguy]

Samsung did the first move with the Tab S7... Let's hope Apple will follow. For me it is among the criteria before I buy a new ipad pro

 

[AutomaticApple]

Of course this year with the pandemic everyone is using FaceTime a lot more.

We may get back to normal once a vaccine is developed. But it’s not just a one year virus. Unfortunately this and other viruses will be with us in the future in one form or another.

So I’m not sure how or if Apple will respond.

Do we think think future FaceTime cameras will be placed along the horizontal edge?

I certainly think so. Moving the sensors would make Face ID so much better when holding the iPad.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Perhaps some are happy using it in portrait mode. But in my Zoom meetings, I find horizontal orientation to be more useful.

Aren't UI adjustments/sync to orientation an app/software feature, or limitation in this case? I haven't used Zoom on anything except for my laptop, therefore, I haven't dealt with orientation differences and may simply be misunderstanding your complaint.

I certainly think so. Moving the sensors would make Face ID so much better when holding the iPad.

Positioning on the side would create a much easier situation to (unintentionally) obstruct, especially in portrait mode.

 

[macdogpro]

I doubt Apple will do that in the near future. The iPad is always a portrait oriented first.
But as been discussed in other threads before, the ideal thing is to have dual cameras for each orientation. Or maybe if Apple can magically create something more ideal for their production cost like in-display camera maybe? I don’t know.

 

[seadragon]

I can see it happening. iPad seems to used more and more in a horizontal position. Apple’s own accessories such as the Magic Keyboard are pushing this. All the iPads I‘ve ever owned are used horizontal 90% of the time, especially when using conferencing apps. Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Moyapilot]

It was a completely idiotic camera placement that only makes sense on a phone, not a giant tablet. Its as stupid as putting a 720p camera in an expensive ”Pro” Macbook. It looks so stupid when using zoom and you’re trying to speak or position the camera, its super disorienting. The way others see you, it seems like you are disinterested and looking off to the side. Not to mention the angle is looking up your nose sideways.

 

[bluespark]

I think it's inevitable for the Air and Pro, less so for the lower-end iPad. The iPad usage was originally extremely portrait-centric, but that has changed with the increasing use of keyboard cases and hands-free video calls. Apple is certainly well aware of the trend.

It wouldn't surprise me terribly if Apple were to go with two front-facing cameras in the Pro, so that you'd have optimal camera placement from either orientation. But absent that, I think we'll see the camera on the long side of the iPad fairly soon.

 

[bluespark]

It was a completely idiotic camera placement that only makes sense on a phone, not a giant tablet. Its as stupid as putting a 720p camera in an expensive ”Pro” Macbook. It looks so stupid when using zoom and you’re trying to speak or position the camera, its super disorienting. The way others see you, it seems like you are disinterested and looking off to the side. Not to mention the angle is looking up your nose sideways.

iPad usage has changed a lot. The current camera placement made perfect sense early on.

 

[seabrook739]

Why not just offer two front-facing cameras (one for portrait mode and one for landscape mode)? And, particularly for the basic iPad, if it'd help they could ditch the rear camera to keep the bean counters happy.

 

[calstanford]

This is all Sci Fi nonsense. After this pandemic ends, nobody will bother with any of this crap. It’s pretty much common sense. The world in 5 years would be like COVID 2019 never happened. At least from an attitude/precautions perspective.

You have zero clue what you're talking about. Lots of companies learned they don't need to spend thousands of dollars sending their people around the world to fly for a meeting. Video calls are here to stay.

 

[calstanford]

Why not just offer two front-facing cameras (one for portrait mode and one for landscape mode)? And, particularly for the basic iPad, if it'd help they could ditch the rear camera to keep the bean counters happy.

I think that's what it's going to be in the Pros (2022 models as Apple is too slow to do anything with less than two years of planning).

 

[KittyKatta]

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion but... discontinue the Pro11 and make the 12.9 and 15 the Pro line with the intention of primarily being used in Portrait.

Portrait Camera:
- iPad 10.2
- iPad Air 10.9

Landscape Camera:
- Pro12.9
- Pro15

On the Magic Keyboard 11” I can see how a landscape camera makes sense but when I disconnect then I use it in portrait like most average users so the camera is fine. But when I use the 12.9 off the keyboard I tend to still hold it in landscape because its just too tall. So draw the line, drop the 11 and make the Pro the landscape line.


Anyway, if we’re going to be realistic then I just dont expect any changes for a while. Apple took over a decade before finally updating the 720 MacBook camera. So why would we think they’re in a rush to rethink the iPad camera?

 

[kristalsoldier]

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion but... discontinue the Pro11 and make the 12.9 and 15 the Pro line with the intention of primarily being used in Portrait.

Portrait Camera:
- iPad 10.2
- iPad Air 10.9

Landscape Camera:
- Pro12.9
- Pro15

On the Magic Keyboard 11” I can see how a landscape camera makes sense but when I disconnect then I use it in portrait like most average users so the camera is fine. But when I use the 12.9 off the keyboard I tend to still hold it in landscape because its just too tall. So draw the line, drop the 11 and make the Pro the landscape line.


Anyway, if we’re going to be realistic then I just dont expect any changes for a while. Apple took over a decade before finally updating the 720 MacBook camera. So why would we think they’re in a rush to rethink the iPad camera?

Yeah, you are right, it is an unpopular opinion, at least where I am concerned. I prefer the 11” Pro and would like it to stay in Apple’s product portfolio!

 

[RevTEG]

Ive been wanting the camera moved for 9 years. Yes, I’ve learned to look past the weird angle or offset the iPad and focus my eyes on the camera dot when recording or teaching live, but a landscape camera would be way better For video.

 

[Mr.Blacky]

Portrait is the superior orientation in many cases, so why should you mive the camera?

 

[seadragon]

Portrait is the superior orientation in many cases, so why should you mive the camera?

Completely disagree. I’m trying to think of an instance where I’ve used my iPad in portrait.... can’t think of any. Oh, maybe reading a book. Landscape for me. Try using it portrait with a Magic Keyboard. I also detest “vertical video”.

 

[Mr.Blacky]

Disagree. I’m trying to think of an instance where I’ve used my iPad in portrait.... can’t think of any. Oh, maybe reading a book. Landscape for me. Try using it portrait with a Magic Keyboard.

Why would I want to use the Magic Keyboard? The keyboard dock for the first iPad was clearly the best way for writing long text documents.
And unless you do splitscreen multitasking, portrait is showing you more content on screen than landscape (in most cases).

 

[seadragon]

Why would I want to use the Magic Keyboard? The keyboard dock for the first iPad was clearly the best way for writing long text documents.
And unless you do splitscreen multitasking, portrait is showing you more content on screen than landscape (in most cases).

Why did Apple do away with it then?

As to more content, that completely depends on what that content is. Editing photos in Lightroom for instance is much better landscape.