Rumor: iPad config page mentions camera

I have a feeling they planned on shipping first gen iPad with a front facing camera but FaceTime wasn't ready yet. If they would of shipped it out with a front facing camera and no other use for it then taking photobooth pictures the speculation of a video chat and frenzy around it would of spoiled there planned announcement of the app. I've learned long ago to hold out for version 3 with any Apple product because that's usually when they get everything they wanted to do in the first version to materialize.

I'm willing to bet that Apple was originally planning on a front facing camera for the 1st gen iPad. They obviously believe video chatting is the future, what with iChat, built-in iSight cameras, and now FaceTime. My guess is that they decided to debut FaceTime as their new video chatting standard with the iPhone 4 instead of the iPad. Rest assured that version 2 of the iPad will have a camera and full FaceTime integration (WiFi only of course).

It works for them. And from a financial perspective, it makes really good sense. People have shown they are willing to purchase a featureless version 1 of a great new product, and then go out and buy a more featured version 2.

Plus it creates a large used market for older versions. Surely there are people out there who would rather buy a 1 year old used iPad with no camera if they can't afford a new one.

Very believable...if you look at the bezel at a certain angle opposite the home button, you can see a tiny pinhole beneath the glass, obviously pre-engineered for one...

"Yep, and version no. 1 of the hardware probably could have shipped with a camera too. It's amazing how Apple manages to have so many people buy so many versions of one product in 1-2 years. It's offensive really."

I am offended that version 1 of the iPad hardware didn't ship with a solar charger, built-in car winch, and an electronic dog polisher. Just an obvious crime against humanity.

I felt a camera was an important feature in an iPad, which is exactly why I haven't bought one. Is Apple now also responsible for people's impulsiveness and lack of self-control?

Where does the internet find tools like this? Has the World Stupidity Quotient experienced a dramatic jump in the past 5 years?

I'll be very glad if that iPad really have a camera, u know, camera and multitasking are the two things I eager to get on iPad.
haha, if that's really a future iPad camera, means I can take videos free on the go, and enjoy the happy times video everywhere? then I don't need any video conversion tools like ifunia iPad video converter to do the video conversion for me any more? hmm, maybe can make it, I also need the tool to do converting movies.
Anyway, get the camera, Apple!@

http://www.misterbg.org/AppleProductCycle/

Don't forget with FaceTime it is not just a feature Apple is introducing, it is a whole new video conferencing standard. Apple needed to release FaceTime with the platform that would give it the widest distribution and the best possible opportunity for success.

Yes, it is a commercial decision, but not in the cynical way @Konknok is suggesting.

And, by the way @Konknok, just because Apple keeps designing and introducing new stuff all the time, which by the way is its raison d'être, it doesn't mean that you (or I) have to buy every version that comes out.

Why not put off the purchase of a second generation iPad, learn to live without FacePad for a year, and get the even better third generation iPad due in 2012? It's your choice.

I agree, Apple cuts and pastes things a lot. I also agree that there will be a camera on an iPad in the future.

I have no reason to believe they "could have" added a camera to version 1, however, and been able to keep the price points. I assume that for whatever reason, the video phone option was not working as well on the iPad and they did not want to do a half-ass job of it, so they just left it out.

Fact: If you read the iPod touch User's Guide included in the Safari Bookmarks on every new iPod, it mentions cellular data in several points. Not sure if they fixed it or not (I reported it to Apple a while back) but it was in there last time I checked. They copy and paste a lot.