The data

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that the soon-to-be-released iPads coming on April 3rd will include an onboard camera and video chart enabled via iChat [NOTE: I Am wrong. See update at bottom of post]. I think Apple just hinted it very strongly with the commercial that aired during the Academy Awards last night (and which you can view on their website right here). 3 seconds into the commercial, if you focus on the upper bezel, front and center, you will see a camera appear and then disappear in the next shot. I have an image below but if you actually watch the video, you can see it appear and disappear quite distinctly.

So that’s one little data tidbit, but when you look at some of Apple’s other recent actions, I think it gets even more compelling. Let’s start with the SDK. PLCameraController.h shows this:

There are also two icons:

(last two images from iphonealley.com)

And another big one, the iPad replacement parts have a frame with a quite obvious hole for a camera.

And this last one is perhaps a bit too far-fetched but last week we also had notification that Apple was pulling Wi-Fi hotspot detectors from their app store. Not all wifi detection apps were pulled, just the ones that actively scan for spots rather than passive data based on GPS/cell location. Apple claims to be removing them since they rely on “private frameworks.” Makes sense right? What also makes sense is that Apple, on the eve of announcing a major Wi-Fi hog in video chat via their latest device, would angle to limit possible negative press from owners of insecure private networks who would be pissed to have their wireless networks bogged down by people standing outside of the homes and offices iChatting. Like I said, now I’m straying far into the realm of guess-dom.

And one more thing…

So, all of this adds up to the fact that the iPad will have a front-facing camera, it’s just a question of when. I think the ad from Apple last night is a big Lost-style clue that this is coming for launch. For Apple, who already had to change a hastily produced ad showing Flash content to so quickly follow up with a gaffe surfacing a new feature would be too much to believe. I think this is real and it is intentional. Steve is a huge fan of the big surprise reveal. What better way could there be to provide more launch buzz for the iPad than it showing up with video chat on Day 1? Take that, Microsoft Courier!

Boom!

[Updated 3/10/2010]: Apple’s newest SDK is pulling the references to the front facing camera and the icons for support. While this is not an iron-clad indication that they won’t be the camera for launch, it’s a pretty big indication that they they’re not progressively tipping their hand as a I suggested. Hey, when I’m wrong, I admit it.

Tagged as: apple, iPad, rumors

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