iPhone covered front to back with camera-related rumors
By Donald Melanson 
posted April 29th 2010 3:02PM
posted April 29th 2010 3:02PM
Well, here's a nice bit of symmetry to emerge from the Apple rumor mill in recent days -- some new purported details on both the rear and front-facing camera on the next-generation iPhone. The first, and more straightforward of the two, comes courtesy of The Chosum Ilbo, which is reporting that the next iPhone will pack a 5-megapixel camera supplied by LG Innotek. Details on it are otherwise pretty light, but the site says that LG has already started producing the "sophisticated cameras" at its plant in Gumi this month, with mass production supposedly set to begin in the second half of this year. The second rumor concerns the iPhone's front-facing camera, and comes after a bit of digging in the latest iPhone 4 SDK beta. According to MacRumors, the SDK not only includes an unfortunate bit of code that suggests video calls will be WiFi-only, but evidence that video chat will be integrated into Apple's Game Center as well -- exactly how remains unclear, although there's certainly no shortage of possibilities. Dive into the links below for the complete details.
So...
Mobile strip poker's on the cards then?
@geekthree
lols that picture the only thing that brought me here.
@geekthree If you want porn, get an Android phone.
- Steve
Sent from my iPhone
That's not a camera lens... It's the antenna required to use the iPhone in tethered mode on AT&T...
@geekthree The Nokia N8 will be way better at that. 720p HD video calling, 12MP camera and the largest sensor ever seen on a mobile phone EVER!!!
@Discourse You know, some of those scenes you would want to stay seen in SD, if ya know what I mean.
@geekthree Achievement unlocked: BOOBIES!
@sshole
more like PENIS, yeah that's a penis, penis. Wait - no that's a penis.
@geekthree
So video calls on wifi only you say...
Hehe. You mean on 3G jailbroken. Sweet
Don't we already know this stuff from the *ahem* leak?
@MarkAnderson : well this isn't a leak, this is a drip. :)
@MarkAnderson
If only there was SOME way to confirm this rumor... :-s
http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/19/apples-4th-generation-iphone-revealed/
@MarkAnderson FFS, a front page story about a 5MP iPhone camera when Nokia just dropped the N8 with a 12MP camera phone with the biggest sensor ever seen on a mobile phone that also records 720p HD video. Of course, Engadget are not iFanboys.
@Discourse A total of 10 people will by the N8, so nobody cares.
@jsbaugh
You're missing the six zeros after that number, chief.
@jsbaugh
So going by that calculation since Nokia has ~42% marketshare in smartphones, only ~5 people will buy the iPhone? :-)
@MarkAnderson Yeah, I think it's hyperbole used for the sake of emphasis. Point being, Nokia's not moving that phone. That's some Howard Forums buy-it-from-eBay stuff right there, with people comparing carrier settings and getting it to work on their carrier.
Is that how the iPhone camera looks? If so, I'll buy it.
@ComeShot Actually that is the new WiFi antenna that is supposed to correct the WiFi problems that the iPhone, iPod and iPad have been having.
Looks pretty subtle.
@ComeShot That's the new iColon home exam kit. No more pesky doctor visits!! Snap a pic and send it off for analysis!
@Darkseider Ive had my iPhone for a year with no WiFi problems, you odviously are just trying to stir the pot.
@Darkseider Oh yeah it looks just like the antenna the Nexus Two uses to correct the 3G problems!
Its probably a good idea that video calling is only over WIFI bearing in mind the trouble O2 and AT&T had with normal voice calls!
@jrcburrows
Considering the iPhone is sold worldwide, I doubt the video call limitation is wholely due to AT&T network.
Of course, that won't stop Apple from spinning is in a way where they look like the smartest guys in the room, while evryone else is a twit who's lagging and holding 0ple back
@jrcburrows Hello 3G Unrestrictor!!
@Khris
+1 for 3G Unrestrictor
@jrcburrows
Not to mention video chatting over 3G while driving.
@jrcburrows
My guess is that it won't be the standard video calling with the mediocre quality that we've had since 2005 or so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP19WoVBeU4
That wouldn't stress the network much, since it works on basic UMTS, which is only 384kbit/s I think.
It will probably be of higher quality, therefore demanding also a more solid connection than 3G. Even nowadays with the HSPA I still can barely make a stable video call over 3G (the 'default' one, not using any app like Skype etc.).
That being said, WiFi only makes this feature much less useful.
Wow. Nothing new in this article what so ever. Struggling for news much?
@n19htmare
At least use the actual picture of the iPhone 4G..
F- Apple
Beating the new Nokia N8 in camera quality is going to be tough... BTW, funny coincidence that Nokia announced just today they are bringing 5mpix cams into their sub $100 lineup.
@machat Yeah, I know what you're talking about, $100, all-aluminum X2. But it's fixed-focus, so the shots won't be that awesome.
That N8, with that awesome lens and flash; yeah, there's gonna be some strong competition there.
@N900
What competition?
WiFi only. That kinda makes it uselss. Glad I can use the EVO 4G w/ Knocking Live on 3G/4G. Oooh well. Apple knows what's best for you so they must be right.
Front facing camera Wi Fi only....Fail.
@disorderlydj
i already knew this is how it would be. If ATT's network can't have a good phone call over 3G, how is a video call supposed to work?
@Dustin
Guess what? Calls don't go over 3G.
Back under the bridge you go.
@disorderlydj
Anyone ever use...
Stickam
tvu player
jTV
joost (with unrestrictor)
and a ton more. I have 'MyWi' on my iPhone for tethering and it consistently DL's things at over 200kbs and it's been as high as 586kbs. AT&T put a ton of money into upgrading signal quality. It was decent before but ever since about 2 mnths ago I haven't had one problem and the 3g INTERNET works extremely fast. Verizon cable in my old apartment wasn't even that fast.
Trolls have big ears. Better to hear the rumours with
HTC is going to best the new iphone in terms of hardware either just before or just after the the release of the iphone. Common Apple, you're suppose to compete.
@captaind172 I would bet good money the new iphone is a lot faster than the EVO. If its using their A4 chip then it shouldnt be to hard. The iPad screams with that thing.
@captaind172 Yeah, I guess we'll see. Suddenly screen res doesn't matter, now that the iPhone is leapfrogging every other phone. App library also doesn't matter because there are too many to wade through and they're all fart apps anyway. The multitasking's not real, who needs battery life when I can carry a second battery, and I read that megapixels are all that matter. Plus Apple is teh dum.
WOW! A rear AND front facing camera?! They should patent that idea!
All I care about is will the new iPhone be able to record 720p video.
EVO 4G >
"mass production due to begin 2nd half of the year"...
Does that mean the new iPhone won't be out in June if they're only just starting to make the camera's then?
Also, let's hope this get's jailbroken fast, then we'll soon be able to Skype video chat over 3G.
@britbloke
My guess is the new iphone will be announced but not available until 2H 2010. The only thing that is going to be available is the 4.0 iphone OS.
Video chat is probably the most talked about feature almost no one will use more than once or twice.
@MrBojangles226
EXACTLY!!!
@MrBojangles226
I disagree. I think when everyone has a front-facing camera on their phone, video chat will catch on (assuming no network problems/wifi only issues). Especially with teens. If you thought sexting was big, wait until you hear about sexideoconferencing.
Need to come up with a better name, but you get the point.