Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, Apple
Looking for iSight
Throughout the day, readers have been sending in tips about the missing iSight. When I checked this evening, Apple's store was willing to sell me an iSight Accessory Kit, or a Griffin SightLight, but the actual iSight itself was missing in action. Some readers have reported that their local Apple Stores are out of stock as well. Reader Richard Cook checked CompUSA, MacMall, MacZone and MacConnection. All out of stock with a 10-14 day wait. So why has the iSight disappeared? Could we be looking at a new product announcement? Might a new iSight be introduced soon? What do you think?
Thanks everyone who wrote in.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
leonard Nimrod said 9:11AM on 12-18-2006
My theory is that Apple is phasing out the Firewire iSight for a new USB 2.0 model.
This new model, being introduced during the MacWorld Expo on the 2nd Tuesday of January, will sport some additional feature.
These features include an infra-red receiver and will come with an Apple remote. Why would they add that? For two reasons:
1) Any Macs without a built-in iSight camera (Mac Mini, MacPro, and most PPC Macs) also lack an infrared port.
2) Compounded by the fact that nothing is more tacky in electronics than the lone IR wire being sticky taped or velcored to the top of a device. So Apple is killing two birds with one stone by integrating it into the iSight camera.
I doubt that the resolution or overall design will change, though I hope they do increase the quality by 4x while reducing teh size by about 1/2.
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Taylor said 9:11AM on 12-18-2006
I know I noticed that...Saturdayish...that is really weird, I hope they are working on a new site!
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leonard Nimrod said 9:12AM on 12-18-2006
correction: MacMini does have an IR port.
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Steve S said 9:17AM on 12-18-2006
Apple withdrew the iSight from Europe and stopped production after RoHS compliance issues. Certain materials were being used which don't comply. They are also slowly phasing out the current Airport base station, Airport PoE Base Station and iPod shuffle battery pack.
We're trying to source them ourselves at the moment, have been trying stockists the world over for the past week, would appreciate a repliable source if any remain!
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Todd said 9:22AM on 12-18-2006
I think it's also likely that since the introduction of built-in iSights, sales of the standalone unit have tanked.
My mom is getting into video chatting with her family on her PC, so I've been thinking about getting an iSight myself. But I keep thinking to just put the $150 toward a new laptop.
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PXLated said 9:27AM on 12-18-2006
The Apple store at Ridgedale Mall in Minnetonka, MN seemed to have a good stock of iSights this last Sat. when I was in there.
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Lars Thorsen said 9:45AM on 12-18-2006
Steve S is right and Todd might be right, too in assuming the iSights are not replaced due to slow sales. In my firm we're desperatly trying to get hold of iSights as we use them in animation-training courses in school in Norway. As of now we are down to buying the replacement-kits of iSights, mount-kits and FireWire cables, seperately. This is both time-consuming and expensive.
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Joram Oudenaarde said 9:45AM on 12-18-2006
They're not selling the iPod (in Holland at least) because of some materials that were used in it. These materials were stated harmfull for people's health, and Apple didn't (or didn't want to) adjust their iSight to fit the European laws.
But I do believe that they wil (or already have) made an iSight with a nice upgrade :) Unless they're planning on releasing new Apple Cinema Displays with integrated iSights... which they've been doing for all monitors in the Apple-line lately :)
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Cameron Campbell said 9:48AM on 12-18-2006
Apple Canada store is not listing them either.
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Chris Bonthron said 9:57AM on 12-18-2006
iSights were off the US and CA online Apple Stores on Friday morning.
If any one is looking for an iSight in the Toronto area, the Eaton Centre and Sherway Apple Stores still had stock... or at least on Friday they did.
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Mark Rich said 10:35AM on 12-18-2006
It's always possible they may not consider a standalone camera worth while anymore and direct people to monitors with cameras built in. More money for the purchaser and Apple, but then that's what a business is for afterall.
Marky
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Lars said 11:16AM on 12-18-2006
Joram means iSight, not iPod obviously. ;) With almost the entire product line of Macs with built-in iSights, I'm not sure if putting out a new one for just Mac Pro users (and people with older Mac gear) is feasible.
Who knows what they're up to...
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Navvy said 12:46PM on 12-18-2006
iSight 2.0 has been rumored for nearly two years. I sold my original iSight back in November 2004 based on a rumor from Apple Insider. Needless to say, I'm still waiting! If Apple builds iSights into all new displays, will there be a need for a newer iSight cam? (Since all models would then have a built-in iSight)
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Matt said 12:46PM on 12-18-2006
iSight HD FTW!
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Fraser Drew said 12:46PM on 12-18-2006
I don't think apple will completely give up on external iSights.. isn't one of the 10 leopard features we know of ia an iChat upgrade. Wouldn't a better iChat mean better iSight sales?
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evan doyle said 3:14PM on 12-18-2006
I also noticed this on Saturday.my bestbuy just became an apple reseller of computers and now i went into to look they have the isight asessories but not the isight itself. they have a spot on the shelf for it but it was MIA.
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Milez said 7:18PM on 12-18-2006
Hopefully, it's all part of a new product announcement and sooner than later. Being 3 Weeks away from MacExpo is a looong time away. I was just looking into getting this (for my MacPro) and to get my family hooked up with Macs so we can stay in touch. Maybe new Monitors too?
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Ian said 7:54PM on 12-18-2006
I hope they come out with something a little more realistic. Asking folks to pay $150(!) for a simple webcam, then locking iChat to artificially not work with other models always irritated me horribly. There were ways around it but it's been a symbol to me of the sort of thing that people really hate about Apple.
The $200 Airport Express base station is another that I'd like to see either sold with a non-insulting price tag or just dropped - I still hear Apple reps trying to push it on customers most times I'm in the Apple Store =)
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Matt E. said 2:02AM on 12-19-2006
The local Apple store in California that I go to is all out of iSights.
The way I see it is this - Apple is most likely going to release ACDs with built in iSights, sometime in the near future. However, I don't believe its the end for the stand-alone model. Most rational people do not want to buy a new display to have the built in iSight. laptops are a different story, since they are portable - ACDs however are a desktop commodity (or laptop accessory, which makes your laptop a sudo desktop I guess). I predict a smaller, updated iSight - possibly running off USB since Apple is moving a lot of stuff from Firewire to USB. This can also mean iChat will be more USB-friendly and the use of 3rd party cameras should increase.
All speculation of course. But the fact that iSight stock is running dry is a fact.
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Dylan said 11:53AM on 12-26-2006
I live in the UK & ISiGHT's vanished from sale in September 2006. I have called Apple and visited Apple stores on several occasions. Nothing, nobody knows what is going on. All i have had is rumours of a new release in October & then November & then etc etc. Why can't Apple just say when or if they are releasing this product as a new variant. Is it that top secret! If i finally go and buy a third party device this week & then Apple release a new Isight in the New Year, Steve Jobs is going to get a smack.
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