Apple procuring video camera modules for nex-gen iPod touch

[AppleInsider]

With all of Apple's spring product offerings now on the market, attention is shifting towards the company's fall iPod launches, which are widely expected to include the first models that will dual as pocket-sized digital cameras.

Citing a source in the Far East, technology news blog TechCrunch is reporting that Apple recently placed a new and "massive" order for camera modules of the same type as those found in the new iPhone 3GS.

It estimates the parts cost the Cupertino-based electronics maker roughly $10 a pop, and adds that the sheer size of the order signals the components "can only be used for one thing," namely new iPods.

If this sounds familiar, it's because similar predictions have been made over the past couple of months. The first report of which arrived in mid-May, and pegged both the third-gen iPod touch and fifth-gen iPod nano as ripe for iPhone-like camera capabilities

Less than two weeks later, a sketch showcasing a rumored design of the fifth-generation nano portrayed a device very similar to a fourth-gen nano with the addition of a camera lens inserted towards the lower left-hand side of the player's rear. Its position would reportedly pave the way for the nano to be used as a point-and-shoot camera when held in landscape mode and gripped by its corners.

Since then, a pair of iPod protective cases have cropped up on the websites of third-party accessory makers: one for an iPod touch with a circular recess that would match up with a camera lens positioned near the top-center of the device's backside, and another for an iPod nano with an elliptical opening that matches the rumored lens placement portrayed in the sketch of the fifth-gen device.



Third party casing leaks have at times proven indicative of Apple's future product plans but at other times have turned out to be incredibly misleading, such as those reportedly destine for an "iPhone nano" back in January.



That said, the reports signaling a new line of iPods with camera functionalities are believed to be accurate. The addition of a built-in video camera on the iPod touch is seen as a logical progression of the device's hardware feature set that should easily double the install base of camera-equipped multi-touch devices for which developers can write App Store applications.

Meanwhile, adding a camera to the nano may be a simple but material enough measure that could help drive upgrade cycles on the part of consumers, some of which may be turned on to the novelty of having rudimentary point-and-shoot capabilities built into a device they carry regularly, doing away for the need to tote a separate device more frequently.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[success]

If you're reading this it means you're not first.

[retroneo]

Hopefully they add a microphone too.

[Aizmov]

This could mean that Apple could become a big force in the camera market, even though they don't make them, but if every iPod touch and nano had a builti-n camera they'll be a huge seller.

[tape]

Grain of salt taken with: large. Mike Arrington is not exactly on my list of "journalists" that I find credible.

[Jake Frost]

I would like to believe this, but the placement of the camera on the Nano makes it hard to buy. Why would they put it where your hands would normally be, especially on something that small? It would be real hard to hold it and snap a picture. I really want them to put the camera in the Touch, but am not holding my breath.

[alectheking]

Originally Posted by success

If you're reading this it means you're not first.

You sir are a fool and need to leave.

[nite41]

Originally Posted by tape

Grain of salt taken with: large. Mike Arrington is not exactly on my list of "journalists" that I find credible.

IMO, this is a sure thing. When the iPhone 3GS's 3.2mp camera rumours were doing the rounds, it was also mentioned that Apple had ordered 5mp camera lens too. May be the 5mp ones are for the iPods. Who knows? !!

[xabhishek]

Originally Posted by Jake Frost

I would like to believe this, but the placement of the camera on the Nano makes it hard to buy. Why would they put it where your hands would normally be, especially on something that small? It would be real hard to hold it and snap a picture. I really want them to put the camera in the Touch, but am not holding my breath.

If you hold it like a regular camera, you wont hide the lens. But I wonder whether this would make it any more appealing. How powerful a camera could they add. Just another one of those lenses used in sub $100 phones would make it useless.

[Roos24]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

...
Meanwhile, adding a camera to the nano may be a simple but material enough measure that could help drive upgrade cycles on the part of consumers, some of which may be turned on to the novelty of having rudimentary point-and-shoot capabilities built into a device they carry regularly, doing away for the need to tote a separate device more frequently.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

I am not sure that I understand this. Is it saying here that people would leave their camera home when they would have a camera in their iPod? Everybody with an iPod already carries a cell phone and these all have a camera, sometimes even better than the one offered by Apple, so I don't see the logic here.

[brianus]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

...which are widely expected to include the first models that will dual as pocket-sized digital cameras...

Is AppleInsider trying to coin a new word here? "Dual" is not a verb. You mean "double."

[Eye Forget]

Originally Posted by Roos24

Everybody with an iPod already carries a cell phone...

I don't. My wife doesn't. Last night with friends, there was one cell phone out of 6.

I learned a long time ago -- when I worked -- what an complete waste of time cell phones were and stopped using them. If you think cell phones are ubiquitous, look at all those that are critical of people dependent on a cell phone. There are way more of us and many of us don't even bother carrying one.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by alectheking

You sir are a fool and need to leave.

Success is cool, so he is.

[pmz]

Originally Posted by Roos24

I am not sure that I understand this. Is it saying here that people would leave their camera home when they would have a camera in their iPod? Everybody with an iPod already carries a cell phone and these all have a camera, sometimes even better than the one offered by Apple, so I don't see the logic here.

You honestly don't? Deep into the generations of iPods, Apple has to offer features that: 1) Sell new models, and 2) Convince people they need the new features (even if they don't).

That was the overall (and now, MASSIVELY successful) concept of the iPhone. Millions of people ditched their crappy "camera-phone" despite where they were in their contracts, and put their iPod to the side, for the convenience of all-in-one iPhone.

There are many people however who are still "multiple-device" people who do not have a service contract with a carrier and are not looking for one.

The advent of a popular iPod (the Nano) that now includes a sexy, state-of-the-art point and shoot camera (as it will be billed) will be a big seller with 10 through 18 year olds, as many many many of them carry both an iPod Nano and some kind of cheapo digital camera that they've received as a gift at some point.

Its a great move, and the idea of both an iPod touch w/ camera and iPod Nano w/ camera opens a lot of demographic doors. They will sell very well, and yes you will see many people opt for the generic on board camera rather than bringing along the clunky extra hardware that "only takes pictures."

Remember, Printer/Scanner/Copiers don't do any of those functions well, but they still selllllllll.

[OC4Theo]

iPod Touch is big enough for a camera, but a nano is definitely too small. However, something need to be added to all iPods to keep them from being obsolete. Everyone will never have an iPhone , even at $99. And if there is going to be camera on anything, it has to be iPod Touch and Classic, not nano.

[Expat]

I think we can all agree that the iPhone camera, and any iPod camera won't replace a serious standalone camera anytime soon. I certainly won't ditch my Canon anytime soon. That being said, the success of devices like the Flip Mino show thatthere is a market for lower cost video recording. If they have a microphone with the camera, I think anyone wanting a Mino would jump at a touch, especially the fact that you can edit video on the device and send it wirelessly - its a no brainer.

So yeah, Apple isn't going after Canon or Nikon anytime soon, but they will be a step ahead of the forthcoming Zune HD and they can pretty much beat the sub-300 camcorder market with these devices.

[christopher126]

Originally Posted by pmz

You honestly don't? Deep into the generations of iPods, Apple has to offer features that: 1) Sell new models, and 2) Convince people they need the new features (even if they don't).

That was the overall (and now, MASSIVELY successful) concept of the iPhone. Millions of people ditched their crappy "camera-phone" despite where they were in their contracts, and put their iPod to the side, for the convenience of all-in-one iPhone.

There are many people however who are still "multiple-device" people who do not have a service contract with a carrier and are not looking for one.

The advent of a popular iPod (the Nano) that now includes a sexy, state-of-the-art point and shoot camera (as it will be billed) will be a big seller with 10 through 18 year olds, as many many many of them carry both an iPod Nano and some kind of cheapo digital camera that they've received as a gift at some point.

Its a great move, and the idea of both an iPod touch w/ camera and iPod Nano w/ camera opens a lot of demographic doors. They will sell very well, and yes you will see many people opt for the generic on board camera rather than bringing along the clunky extra hardware that "only takes pictures."

Remember, Printer/Scanner/Copiers don't do any of those functions well, but they still selllllllll.

Agreed, my first gen iPhone's camera is very disappointing and I only rarely use it because of the low quality. I'm hoping the 3Gs will be an improvement. A quality camera/microphone in the iPod Touch is a winner! I hope Apple incorporate a flash for indoors. They have to be working on it and has to be part of the iPod's roadmap, just not necessarily the next update.

Regards

[mitchelljd]

Originally Posted by christopher126

Agreed, my first gen iPhone's camera is very disappointing and I only rarely use it because of the low quality. I'm hoping the 3Gs will be an improvement. A quality camera/microphone in the iPod Touch is a winner! I hope Apple incorporate a flash for indoors. They have to be working on it and has to be part of the iPod's roadmap, just not necessarily the next update.

Regards

its just a incremental improvement. Seems like apple wants to improve it a little, and definitely leave room for the next upgrade. wish they did more.

Apple ought to have done the following for the iphone 3gs and the new upgrade

1- 5+ megapixel camera
2- led flash
3- image stabilization
4- swapable batteries.

Sorry, just wanted to give you honest feedback. It would be neat of to differentiate the ipod touch apple offered a real camera. not the same thing they offered for the iphone 3gs

[aiolos]

It seems cool, hopefully it will happen. I also hope it's as good as the 3MP iPhone 3GS camera or better. Wish we could be like the korean phones with 5 or 8 MP.

[MFago]

How about all of the people who cannot have a camera at work? They already cannot buy an iPhone, but now they might be relegated to an iPod Shuffle? Time to buy a few extra iPod Touches I guess...

[wobegon]

Originally Posted by retroneo

Hopefully they add a microphone too.

While I'm not sure about the iPod nano, the iPod touch is certainly capable of video recording, so unless they think people will be satisfied shooting silent films, they will include a mic.

[cnocbui]

Originally Posted by pmz

Remember, Printer/Scanner/Copiers don't do any of those functions well

You are mistaken.

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by retroneo

Hopefully they add a microphone too.

That would be nice too.

I'm hoping they'll give the iPod Touch a better camera with more zoom, higher megapixels, and a light. The iPod Touch always gets the higher RAM footprint than the iPhone so having a better camera wouldn't be that much of a stretch.

Also, I think it is about time the iPod Nano became the iPod Touch Nano. Get the iPhone OS on there. Isn't it more cost effective with development to have one iPod OS?

[dougelo7]

Originally Posted by MacTel

That would be nice too.

I'm hoping they'll give the iPod Touch a better camera with more zoom, higher megapixels, and a light. The iPod Touch always gets the higher RAM footprint than the iPhone so having a better camera wouldn't be that much of a stretch.

Also, I think it is about time the iPod Nano became the iPod Touch Nano. Get the iPhone OS on there. Isn't it more cost effective with development to have one iPod OS?

Absolutely not. The iPod touch's screen is small enough as it is; who would want something even tinier??

[Aizmov]

Originally Posted by OC4Theo

iPod Touch is big enough for a camera, but a nano is definitely too small. However, something need to be added to all iPods to keep them from being obsolete. Everyone will never have an iPhone , even at $99. And if there is going to be camera on anything, it has to be iPod Touch and Classic, not nano.

have you seen some of the camera phones?
the iPod nano could get thicker due to the camera, but that's it.
plus Apple can put a crappy camera, and it'll still sell
the Nintendo DSi has a 0.5 mega pixel camera.

[Kibitzer]

The new Touch needs 64GB of memory too.

[nli10]

Originally Posted by Aizmov

the Nintendo DSi has a 0.5 mega pixel camera.

DSi has two 0.3 MP cameras actually which are still 4 times the resolution of the screen that they are used on so more than adequate.

The low light problems are more concerning.


More and more I'm wanting a decent 10MP fully featured Fuji camera with GPS picture tagging that I can use to text. I don't use many of the 'phone' parts of my phone anymore.

[m2002brian]

Originally Posted by Roos24

I am not sure that I understand this. Is it saying here that people would leave their camera home when they would have a camera in their iPod? Everybody with an iPod already carries a cell phone and these all have a camera, sometimes even better than the one offered by Apple, so I don't see the logic here.

Actually not everybody has a camera in their phone. I'm just saying. Some of us have cheap ($30 to replace) phone from Verizon because you'd have to be stupid to buy an iPhone when the iPod Touch is far superior.
For those people who think they need to be connected everywhere. You don't. Although your brain is saying I do, I do. Your logic should tell you better. "Should" being the key word there.

[Hattig]

Originally Posted by MacTel

Also, I think it is about time the iPod Nano became the iPod Touch Nano. Get the iPhone OS on there. Isn't it more cost effective with development to have one iPod OS?

The current nano is apparently based around the same SoC as the iPod Touch, but maybe running slower for battery life. This was a big step up from the older SoC in the previous iPod nanos.

It isn't out of this world to therefore assume that it can easily run iPhone OS. Indeed the current iPod nano could be running the simpler iPod nano UI on top of a stripped down iPhone OS - has anyone done any nano firmware investigation?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Hattig

The current nano is apparently based around the same SoC as the iPod Touch, but maybe running slower for battery life. This was a big step up from the older SoC in the previous iPod nanos.

It isn't out of this world to therefore assume that it can easily run iPhone OS. Indeed the current iPod nano could be running the simpler iPod nano UI on top of a stripped down iPhone OS - has anyone done any nano firmware investigation?

I think it may still uses the iPod OS, which was originally designed to run on much slower, older HW, and doesn’t require the frameworks and such of iPhone OS X, so I think even at slower speeds the Nano could include a camera in the same vein that older cellphones included a camera.

[Porchland]

Originally Posted by xabhishek

If you hold it like a regular camera, you wont hide the lens. But I wonder whether this would make it any more appealing. How powerful a camera could they add. Just another one of those lenses used in sub $100 phones would make it useless.

I'm not having a fit for my next iPod to be able to take pictures, but it adds differentiation from other players relatively inexpensively -- $10 unit cost -- and could be a trojan horse for iPhoto, Mobile Me and Macs, i.e., extend the halo to other points in Apple's brands.

[lopsided]

The iPod nano is especially popular for kids and teens. Adding a low-end camera to the nano for this group would be very popular. The teens are probably used to crappy cell-phone cameras or cheap digital cameras, so they won't have a problem with what Apple would put in the nano.

[Aizmov]

Originally Posted by nli10

DSi has two 0.3 MP cameras actually which are still 4 times the resolution of the screen that they are used on so more than adequate.

The low light problems are more concerning.


More and more I'm wanting a decent 10MP fully featured Fuji camera with GPS picture tagging that I can use to text. I don't use many of the 'phone' parts of my phone anymore.

I should have checked, I posted from vague memories. The nano has an even smaller screen, so a smell lens with a small sensor can work well enough for most people. Not sure about the resolution, but the nano does seem to have more pixel density.
I have a DS Lite so I can testify to that, and if I'm not mistaken, the DSi has a 10% larger screen but same resolution as the DS Lite.

[Bregalad]

Originally Posted by lopsided

The iPod nano is especially popular for kids and teens. Adding a low-end camera to the nano for this group would be very popular. The teens are probably used to crappy cell-phone cameras or cheap digital cameras, so they won't have a problem with what Apple would put in the nano.

I agree that young kids would love a camera in the nano, but teens would not. Teens spend their entire day with one hand on their cell phone. Unless the iPod magically gains the ability to upload photos, the camera will have no appeal to that particular demographic.

I'm looking forward to the new iPod touch and having a camera in it would ensure I take it with me more often than I do now. It wouldn't replace a real camera for important events, but there are moments when I wish I could snap a shot and can't.

[Vulcan1]

"The new Touch needs 64GB of memory too."


+2!!! 64 Gig FTW!!!

[hmurchison]

I'm waiting for the next iPod Touch update and a camera is VERY importante to me.

[edwardryu]

that's good news. actually, it makes sense since iphone 3gs has capability to record video and of course photo. I guess that new ipod touch will have the same lens and video capability. I don't really take any picture by my iphone because quality is bad whatsoever. but in terms of convenience, well, I can use it. god. I still have plenty of time to end contract for iphone 3G. I don't have to be hurry anyway. well, I am sold no matter what. I buy Apple new product all the time.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Vulcan1

"The new Touch needs 64GB of memory too."


+2!!! 64 Gig FTW!!!

Is that a viable option yet? Usually the doubling of capacity with iPods has come from price reductions along with the shrinking size of the chips. I think that 32GB at the current chip size is still the most viable which may make a 64GB Touch only an option if they use 2x32GB chips. I’d love to be proven wrong on the size/cost-per-GB.

[hmurchison]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Is that a viable option yet? Usually the doubling of capacity with iPods has come from price reductions along with the shrinking size of the chips. I think that 32GB at the current chip size is still the most viable which may make a 64GB Touch only an option if they use 2x32GB chips. I’d love to be proven wrong on the size/cost-per-GB.

I think they'll have a 64GB iPod due to chip density improvements but it may be a premium over standard $499. We'll see.

[cmf2]

Originally Posted by mitchelljd

its just a incremental improvement. Seems like apple wants to improve it a little, and definitely leave room for the next upgrade. wish they did more.

Apple ought to have done the following for the iphone 3gs and the new upgrade

1- 5+ megapixel camera
2- led flash
3- image stabilization
4- swapable batteries.

Sorry, just wanted to give you honest feedback. It would be neat of to differentiate the ipod touch apple offered a real camera. not the same thing they offered for the iphone 3gs

It isn't just an incremental improvement. It is incremental in the sense that it went up to 3.2 MP from 2 MP, but the autofocus is a huge improvement over fixed focus. With a lens as small as the iphones, I doubt packing more pixels into the camera would offer much or any improvement. Reading specs (which anyone can do) will lead you to believe that it is only an incremental upgrade, but comparing the results will show a massive improvement. Of course, it is still a camera on a thin phone, it can only be so good.