The media is a-twitter with reports that Apple’s new iPad will have both a front-facing and rear-facing camera, with Reuters quoting anonymous sources in the supply chain.
I don’t buy that: I don’t think that Apple will imitate the ‘competitors,’ like Samsung Galaxy or Acer whatever-they-name-it.
Apple is ahead of the curve, it doesn’t follow. The thing is that a rear-facing camera in such a device is not useful and adding it only because others have it is not Apple’s style.
The iPad is a device for the couch, not for the pocket: would you take pictures holding a large object from your couch? Have you thought about how that would look?
It would look something like this:
I cannot imagine a place or a time when you would hold the tablet that way to take a picture.
Perhaps menage-a-trois video chats are the selling point? Or do they imagine you would wield the tablet like a biblical commandment to take pictures of your cat?
So, if the rumors are correct that the iPad 2 will have two cameras, how will Apple surprise us?
Davide Cassenti gave me an idea how to reconcile the rumors: both cameras will be front facing and will allow for 3D video chat.
That would be Apple.
