Neil HughesThe note from Detwiler Fenton & Co., issued this week and obtained by Barron's, claims that OmniVision will supply CMOS image sensors for the second-generation iPad. The report alleges that the next iPad will have a forward-facing VGA camera for FaceTime video chat, like the iPhone 4 and latest iPod touch.
The firm also claims that OmniVision will supply a second, 5 megapixel camera, presumably to be placed on the rear of the new iPad. One competing touchscreen tablet, Samsung's Galaxy Tab, sports two cameras, with the rear lens highlighted for use in augmented reality applications.
Detwiler said that Apple is expected to build 2.5 million units of the next-generation iPad in the first quarter of 2011. OmniVision also supplies sensors for Apple's iPhone.
AppleInsider contacted Detwiler Friday in an effort to determine why Apple would place a high-resolution camera on the back of a 9.7-inch tablet, and why Apple would only build 2.5 million units of a device that sold more than 4 million last quarter. Multiple e-mails and voicemails were not returned.
In September, AppleInsider exclusively reported that Apple plans to move aggressively in pushing its FaceTime open video chat standard. In addition to the iPhone 4 and latest iPod touch, Apple added the Mac platform to its FaceTime connectivity earlier this month.
People familiar with Apple's plans told AppleInsider that a version of Apple's iPad with a built-in video camera and FaceTime support had already progressed to advanced testing stages by September. It was indicated that a FaceTime-equipped iPad would be introduced no later than the first quarter of 2011.
Mike Wuerthele and Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
Andrew Orr
William Gallagher
Sponsored Content
Malcolm Owen
146 Comments
Instead of just making a smart assed comment here, just putting out that this was a forgone conclusion for months, not sure I needed an analyst to put it out in an official report.
In related news, the next iPad will be newer than the old one.
Instead of just making a smart assed comment here, just putting out that this was a forgone conclusion for months, not sure I needed an analyst to put it out in an official report.
Better a smart one than a dumb one.
Apple's next-generation iPad, set to launch in the first quarter of 2011, will include a forward-facing camera for FaceTime video chat, in addition to a second rear camera, according to an unconfirmed rumor from an investment firm..
I was under the impression that:
Apple left off the camera intentionally, to make the iPad a better product, given that it would show a view going up people's noses from a front-facing camera;
and
Apple left off any rear-facing camera intentionally, to make the iPad a better product, because people would look foolish holding up a big slate to take photos.
Do I remember correctly?
AppleInsider contacted Detwiler Friday in an effort to determine why Apple would place a high-resolution camera on the back of a 9.7-inch tablet, and why Apple would only build 2.5 million units of a device that sold more than 4 million last quarter. Multiple e-mails and voicemails were not returned.
Thank you, AppleInsider, for having more common sense than Detwiler Fenton. A rear-facing camera on a tablet makes about as much sense as a 7" model that was supposedly coming down the pipe.