Debunk: Schiller's front facing iPhone 3G camera

So there's a sensational rumor going around that Phil Schiller unwittingly presented MobileMe at WWDC using an iPhone 3G with a front facing video camera. The very same camera fanboys wished for but Apple choose not to include in the final specs. The idea that Schiller would unknowingly demonstrate such a device is, to put it mildly, absurd. The fact that the evidence is reviewable -- and in HD -- on Apple's website makes it even more so. If you care to look for yourself, the mysterious grease spot appears at 1:18:28 during the keynote. Just be forewarned: you'll never be able to reclaim those 10 minutes when you might need them most. The pictures above should be proof enough.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[catachip @ Jun 12th 2008 8:10AM]

The one on the left is probably the proximity sensor and the one on the right is the ambient light sensor. Nothing to see here people!

[erik @ Jun 12th 2008 8:15AM]

agreed...

[Richard Lai @ Jun 12th 2008 8:16AM]

Agreed too. That's what it said on the patent file anyway.

[Glenn @ Jun 12th 2008 9:16AM]

Look at the top of a gen 1 iPhone in bright sunlight and you will see all the sensors.

[LiqwidZero @ Jun 12th 2008 8:15AM]

As catachip stated, I'm pretty sure those are sensors.

[Christy McGrory @ Jun 12th 2008 8:17AM]

Hmmm. I hope it is a camera though. and I hope they announce some better camera specs, because al he said in the keynote was 'camera'. Hmmmmmmmmmm indeed.

[Matt @ Jun 12th 2008 8:37AM]

It isn't, and they already announced the camera specs. Keep hoping though.

[natels @ Jun 12th 2008 9:12AM]

Because we need people walking on the streets and driving while video conferencing. And don't you already have the capability to video conference with your MacBook + MacBookPro?

[Neuro @ Jun 12th 2008 9:27AM]

Web browser... because we need people walking on the streets and driving while surfing the net. And don't you already have the capability to surf with your MacBook + MacBookPro?

[Christy McGrory @ Jun 12th 2008 9:29AM]

Er, what macbook?

[Gordy @ Jun 12th 2008 8:18AM]

The one on the right is clearly hot wing sauce.

[PEZ @ Jun 12th 2008 12:31PM]

RIIIIGHT, but the question IS.. what BRAND of hotwind sauce?

Pets Texas hot?
Tobasco Chipotle?
Super Duper Ass FIRE Hot Sauce?

you decide.

[Jesus @ Jun 12th 2008 1:10PM]

Now I understand why Engadet Posts suck so much. The maturity level of the average poster is very low. Lets attempt to be witty to get ranked up instead of posting something worth while. Yuck.

[Ian @ Jun 12th 2008 1:55PM]

actually Jesus i like seeing funny things on the internet, thats half of the reasons i read the comments is for stupid funny things that make my day. i mean isn't that what the internet is for?

[The Apple @ Jun 13th 2008 1:40AM]

yes it is, but also porn...

[djfost @ Jun 12th 2008 8:41AM]

lol.. has to be the sensors. wishful thinking!

[Kizorblade @ Jun 12th 2008 8:21AM]

Conspiracy theories ahoy!

[BeyondtheTech @ Jun 12th 2008 8:38AM]

Would be nice to surprise us, just like they did when they allegedly increased battery life on the original iPhone a month before it was released... I was like, "isn't this thing already half-way manufactured?"

[Alex Brooks @ Jun 12th 2008 8:54AM]

I don't remember that happening but anyway...

With all the spotlight that was on Apple it would have been smarter to show off a front-facing camera and surprise us with GPS or something.

It's obvious that there is no front facing camera and most likely never will be one, Apple is clearly being stubborn about it, much like A2DP, MMS and video recording.

[blinkcowz182 @ Jun 12th 2008 9:07AM]

This generation of the iPhone was about addressing the major complaints of consumers...no 3G, closed OS, too expensive, impossible to get in most countries. It's like a lot of people on the internet have said, this was about making a $500 phone $200 so it's in more people's hands. Then once everyone and their mom have a iPhone, they'll start boosting the specs in gen 3 to get people to buy up to the latest/greatest.

[BeyondtheTech @ Jun 12th 2008 9:40AM]

Remember this press release of increased battery life and glass displays they announced just 2 weeks before the release date? http://www.tuaw.com/2007/06/18/iphone-delivers-up-to-8-hours-of-talk-time/

I'm just saying... anything's possible.

[Jacob B @ Jun 12th 2008 8:46AM]

I agree, it's just the sensors visible in bright light. That's also why in some of the other shots it's not visible, it's only when the light shines on the phone at a certain angle.

It is the same on the current iPhone, in normal lighting you can't see them, but shine a light on them and they are visible.

[ecobore @ Jun 12th 2008 9:35AM]

Does the word 'obsessive' suggest anything to you?! and I AM a mac fanboy!

[thistle.john @ Jun 12th 2008 8:51AM]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=j6Yt2DakywI

ive chopped out the bit you need to watch, so you can waste just 10 seconds rather than 10 minutes.

[Richard Lai @ Jun 12th 2008 9:10AM]

"speach" LOL

[Eric @ Jun 12th 2008 9:05AM]

The spot on the left in the picture within the top left frame, looks like a girls face....a dead girl's face.

AIIYEEEE.

[blinkcowz182 @ Jun 12th 2008 9:08AM]

Actually it kind of look's like the outline of the Virgin Mary...

[Ethan @ Jun 12th 2008 9:16AM]

AAAAAHHHH

[BuddyBoy @ Jun 12th 2008 8:58AM]

What the hell case is Phil using... It makes the iPhone look butt ugly

[Low Ranked @ Jun 12th 2008 12:05PM]

His iPhone makes his iPhone look butt ugly?

[Mindfield @ Jun 12th 2008 9:00AM]

For those not keeping score, Apple only recently put out the call for a digital camera engineer to work on bringing a _good_ camera to the 3rd Gen iphone 3G. Uh ... which I guess would be the G2 iPhone 3G, or the G3 iPhone, or iPhone 3.0, or iPhone 3G 2.0, or ... oh screw it.

No new camera 'til next year.

[SilverGixxer @ Jun 12th 2008 9:07AM]

Hey guys. What I'm about to ask is probably cause for burning at the stake around these parts, but wasnt there a link somewhere so you could get the Engadget RSS feed minus any iPhone news?

[Jason G. @ Jun 12th 2008 10:43AM]

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/20/tired-of-iphone-and-or-apple-news-on-engadget/

[go @ Jun 12th 2008 9:07AM]

So, you cant make video calls on the iPhone now its got 3G?
Oh well, im sure they will release another version with that feature for you apple fanboys to suck up sloppily of the dirty Apple showroom floor.
No i am not a MS fanboy i just mate apple.

[Zoli @ Jun 12th 2008 9:14AM]

You mate apple?

You must like them a lot.

[Richard Lai @ Jun 12th 2008 9:17AM]

So how does the mating work? I mean seriously.

[Daley @ Jun 12th 2008 9:12AM]

I think Apple is just playing it safe with the whole forward facing camera thing - something to save for the third iPhone.

A lot of people moaned about the lack of 3G in the iPhone v1, but 6 million people still bought one! For the same reason, i believe Apple is waiting to hold this feature back for now.

It would very welcomed in the iPhone 3G though!

[Colin @ Jun 12th 2008 9:17AM]

Where's that sans Iphone RSS feed at? This is terribly dull.

[Dan @ Jun 12th 2008 9:29AM]

http://pipes.yahoo.com

[Colin @ Jun 12th 2008 9:30AM]

Doesn't work...

[Josh L @ Jun 12th 2008 10:43AM]

Considering Engadget writers manage to shoehorn iPhone references into just about every post, that feed would also be terribly dull.

[Jason G. @ Jun 12th 2008 10:44AM]

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/20/tired-of-iphone-and-or-apple-news-on-engadget/

[Zenk1 @ Jun 12th 2008 9:32AM]

If you squint real hard you can just about make out... YEA! Macbook Air 2 spotted at the top right! omg first!

[HuGo @ Jun 12th 2008 9:33AM]

Even if there was a camera on the front and both cameras had more than 2 megapixels someone would still whine that it doesn't have flash or it doesn't capture video. Big deal! It's an iPhone not a digital camera. God what was everyone expecting from the 3G I Phone? A phone, an iPod, a video player and a God dam dishwasher?

[Loun @ Jun 12th 2008 12:15PM]

The N95 8gig can do everything you said, apart from dishwasher obiviously. Though the iPhone has the amazing web browser mmm.

[Reid @ Jun 12th 2008 9:37AM]

I actually watched the keynote last night. Engadget pretended like the demos were boring, but frankly, they were a lot more interesting than the 3G iPhone announcement. Of course, maybe it's easier to sit thru the demos when you're not anticipating the "big news" announcement, but dayum. The games and apps the 3rd party developers made look absolutely incredible. That musical instrument/band app was *awesome*. I'm not a gamer, but I foresee myself spending entirely too much money on iPhone games to have something to do on the airplane or whatever.

It's fascinating how Apple's control over the platform, while stifling some grassroots innovation, also makes it a massively fertile platform for others to develop on. The level of support by 3rd parties is incredible.

[Mark Anderson @ Jun 12th 2008 11:52AM]

Well since the announcement was like a wet Tuesday in Grimsby that wouldn't be difficult.

[Bob @ Jun 12th 2008 9:50AM]

The "camera" you are seeing on the phone is just city lights reflecting off swamp gas. Nothing more.

[web design company @ Jun 12th 2008 12:58PM]

They can be the proximity and light sensor but the one on the left is really big for a sensor maybe it could be a future prototype version but I doubt the camera would be hidden behind the black glass since it would get less light for the video/pictures and just as the 2-megapixel camera on the back it really needs a lot of light in order to take good non-blurry pictures.

[Ani @ Jun 12th 2008 10:09AM]

Take a look at apple site. All iPhone pics have this corner obscured....