Yeah, and I'll bet there are features you use that others "subsidize."I agree that Apple should have considered the the rack facing camera an add/on instead they people like us subsidize those that want the camer but
Pay for it at fair market.
Not everyone knows exactly how they'll use their iOS devices before they buy them.
Part of the delight of these things is that we keep finding new ways to use them - sort of like unearthing buried treasure. Include the camera, and somewhere down the line we learn that we can deposit checks without going to the bank, or we get turned onto the possibilities QR codes, or a far-off relative says, "You have an iPad now. Do you know how to FaceTime?" Who knows what situation or app will unlock unexpected possibilities?
I happen to have exactly what the original poster desires - an iPad without back (or front) camera - an original iPad. Who at the time thought a camera was necessary? After a while, though I think a fair number of folks wished for it (I know I did) - they got tired of putting down the iPad, taking out the iPhone, taking a photo, and sending it to their iPad (well, Photo Stream has made that last bit painless). One of the big criticisms of iPad 2? The camera wasn't good enough.
Ya know, you can save a whole lot more than $5 by purchasing a used iPad 1st Gen. You may wish it was faster, lighter, and trimmer. You may wish for a Retina display, and that it could run iOS 6 and iPhoto... but at least you wouldn't be bothered by that "useless" camera.