When will Apple refresh the iSight?

messiahmessiah
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
I'm thinking about purchasing a standalone iSight for one of my Cinema Displays, but the image quality of the current model is NOWHERE near as good as the image quality produced by the iSight cameras built in to the MacBooks and iMacs.



This seems like a strange situation, and I'm sure Apple will want to refresh the current standalone iSight at some point ? have there been any rumours?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    My guess is that they'll integrate the iSight into the next round of displays, and then just keep the current iSight around for another year or so, then drop it.
  • Reply 2 of 16
    mbaynhammbaynham Posts: 534member
    yeah i agree. that should be the future plan for apple, building them into their displays. not as many people are needing to buy external iSights now, seeing as they are building them in to every new desktop/notebook. but you never know,
  • Reply 3 of 16
    scott finlaysonscott finlayson Posts: 54member
    Call me crazy, but I'm glad to have it not-integrated into my display(s).



    First of all, my displays are not Apple's.. they are higher-end SONY displays that "spec" slightly better than Apple's and were slightly less expensive.



    Second... I don't use my iSight as often as I used to, but when I used it more (freelancing), I was able to place it on my desk and point it AT my display(s) and walk-through projects with co-workers - show them comps on-screen or rough ideas of motion graphics.



    It was/is very easy to have a (re)positionable camera for use, rather than the one-angle-fits-all approach of a built-in.



    I hope they DON'T do-away with free-standing iSights. (personally)



    -sf
  • Reply 4 of 16
    dansgildansgil Posts: 62member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Scott Finlayson



    I hope they DON'T do-away with free-standing iSights. (personally)





    I agree completely.
  • Reply 5 of 16
    gargar Posts: 1,201member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    My guess is that they'll integrate the iSight into the next round of displays, and then just keep the current iSight around for another year or so, then drop it.



    It has already been dropped in Europe.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Scott Finlayson

    they are higher-end SONY displays that "spec" slightly better than Apple's and were slightly less expensive.



    Let me guess, they miraculously use the same panel, yet allegedly have higher specs?
  • Reply 7 of 16
    lustlust Posts: 83member
    If they completely get rid of the stand-alone then I hope they the one's on the notebooks adujustable. Like flipping it around so that it faces the other direction and things like that.
  • Reply 8 of 16
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    I doubt they'd do that, for simplicity's sake, not to mention they want to cut down on mechanical parts (which would be required for such adjustments) in their laptops, because they're very prone to damage. (Cf. the whole magnetic latch thing.)



    I'm hoping they'll introduce a newer iSight.
  • Reply 9 of 16
    leonardleonard Posts: 528member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by gar

    It has already been dropped in Europe.



    Because of the EU's environmental regulation - the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2005 (RoHS).



    http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...threadid=64346



    Apple could be waiting on a redesigned model before reintroducing it.
  • Reply 10 of 16
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    If my next display has an iSight built in, I'd likely turn my current one into a porch mounted security cam. However, I've never bought an apple display, mostly because they cost too much for me. So if my next display is a Dell (quite likely) the iSight will find a happy home on it.



    The only thing I wish were better on the iSight? Low light sensativity. Granted, Apple could do a lot in software to fix the problem.



    Otherwise, it's one of the best gadgets or peripherals i've ever owned. One cord and a simplistic metal cylinder. Mmmm.
  • Reply 11 of 16
    netdognetdog Posts: 244member
    How about a wireless iSight?
  • Reply 12 of 16
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    Sounds about as useful as a wireless toaster.
  • Reply 13 of 16
    netdognetdog Posts: 244member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dfiler

    Sounds about as useful as a wireless toaster.



    Actually, running a webcam that doesn't have to be physically attached to the computer would have a lot of applications.
  • Reply 14 of 16
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    Battery powered webcam? Somehow, I don't see anyone buying that... even fewer than are buying iSights.
  • Reply 15 of 16
    netdognetdog Posts: 244member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dfiler

    Battery powered webcam? Somehow, I don't see anyone buying that... even fewer than are buying iSights.



    Not wireless as in no AC power supply. Wireless as in WiFi.
  • Reply 16 of 16
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    I know, I'm just giving you a hard time for posting that one-liner, one that we we get so often around here.



    Hey wait, i've got a brilliant idea for the next rev of such and such. Why not make it wireless?



    On top of that, it's one of my pet peeves when people refer to wired devices as wireless. If it has wires coming off of it, it isn't wireless! It may have wireless networking, but it ain't wireless.



    As far as a wifiSight? I could see it happening eventually. Everone is making networked web-cams these days. Yet I don't think apple nor it's customers are terribly interested at this point. Apple isn't selling tons of iSights and the market for webcams is even smaller. Currently, it'd have to be a why-not feature gotten for free on a chip set they were already planning on using in the device.
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