AppleInsider Staff
Digging through the PLCameraController.h frameworks in iPhone OS 3.2 SDK Beta 3, MacRumors discovered references to camera flash, zoom, and a front-facing camera. Earlier this month, an internal iPad part revealed a potential space for a forward-facing camera atop the device.
While the first version of the iPad, set to launch in March, will not ship with a camera, it's possible that all of the new functionality, including camera flash and video chat, could be included in the new iPhone, expected to debut this summer. Last month, AppleInsider reported that Apple moved to purchase significant quantities of LED camera flash components.
In addition, large icons likely for the iPad allowing users to accept or decline a video chat invitation were also discovered in the SDK.
The third beta of the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK was temporarily released on Tuesday, before Apple quickly removed the download from its developer Web site. The update made it easier to ensure iPhone and iPod touch applications would work on the forthcoming iPad.
First revealed in January, iPhone OS 3.2 is, for now, currently for the iPad only. It does not yet support the iPhone or iPod touch.
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70 Comments
Why does the camera have to be built in? Apple can sell one as an accessory.
Why does the camera have to be built in? Apple can sell one as an accessory.
An accessory camera would be too bulky for something that can easily be integrated. No... I still hope for a good surprise end of march...
Why does the camera have to be built in? Apple can sell one as an accessory.
Exactly. Plus, obviously, companies other than Apple are free to build them. Indeed, they already do. I'd be willing to bet a third-party external (Bluetooth?) videoconferencing camera will be sold as an accessory for the iPad from day one.
On this question, see Roughly Drafted.
Was it someone at Apple that said the announced price may be reduced when it ships?
[Pure Speculation]
Maybe - they are using this time to guage publc interest and or finalize camera options etc - and *if* not camera is offered on the forst models the price will be reduced - wheras if the camera does not make it into rev a - then price will drop so that the with caemra version that comes out a few months later can go up in price and few will even care that the price is higher.
[/Pure Speculation]
So we see the camera button there, we see the camera code in the SDK and people are STILL thinking the camera is going to be in gen2? Isn't it possible that it will ship with a camera and just not announced at the event? Matter of fact isn't the fact that Apple is recently trying to hide all of their shipment details mean they have more to hide in terms of what parts they are shipping? They are possibly shipping millions of more cameras but trying to hide it so they can surprise with a camera on the iPad at launch... just saying it's possible...