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Apple Still Planning Camera in iPod Touch?

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,474
30,693


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Another interesting possibility found in iFixit's teardown of the 3rd Generation iPod Touch was finding of an empty space where on the circuit board that could house a camera. The location is consistent with the location of the rumored iPod Touch camera and is distinct from the previous generation iPod Touch design.

Pictured above is the 2nd Generation iPod Touch on the left and the 3rd Generation iPod Touch on the right. The round metal piece seen in the middle of the 2nd Gen iPod Touch board is actually an antenna cable socket which has been moved on the 3rd Gen iPod Touch, which only has a black plastic spacer in that place. According to iFixit, an iPod-nano style camera would fit in that location.

The finding is consistent with a report from AppleInsider which claimed that the iPod Touch with camera was a real product but had been scrapped about a month ago. The rumor site also believes that Apple is still planning on adding camera capabilities to the iPod Touch in the near future.

Article Link: Apple Still Planning Camera in iPod Touch?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/11/apple-still-planning-camera-in-ipod-touch/
K

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
Was the decision to take it out related to the production problems that were reported..?

It is possible they planned it all a long, wanted a camera in it (why wouldn't they?) but production problems meant it wasn't possible this time round, so instead just took out the camera and used the original back casing from the 2G iPod touch.

As Engadget says - it is possible to mod in a camera. The iPod Nano's camera would fit in there like it was meant to be.
 
ditzy

ditzy

macrumors 68000
Sep 28, 2007
1,719
180
Wonder if it was just to prove the rumour sites wrong. I was certainly shocked when it didn't happen.
 
P

puffnstuff

macrumors 65816
Jan 2, 2008
1,469
0
seeing how it would have gotten the nano camera I think they changed there mind at the last minute.
 
I

i3iz

macrumors member
Sep 22, 2005
68
0
makes sense. I saw the black corner and thought, a camera! then i couldnt find a description that stated there was one.

I think they yanked it at the last minute, replaced it with a plastic piece.

my bet is they will release the camera in 30 days and offer an upgrade path for current gen owners.
 
A

ashimashi

macrumors newbie
Mar 17, 2009
9
0
i3iz said:
makes sense. I saw the black corner and thought, a camera! then i couldnt find a description that stated there was one.

I think they yanked it at the last minute, replaced it with a plastic piece.

my bet is they will release the camera in 30 days and offer an upgrade path for current gen owners.
Click to expand...

not gonna happen :D
 
iBookG4user

iBookG4user

macrumors 604
Jun 27, 2006
6,595
2
Seattle, WA
I highly doubt that they will release a new iPod Touch with a camera in the immediate future. I would think that would have to wait until the next rev, otherwise they'll have a mob of early adopters with pitchforks :p
 
Chundles

Chundles

macrumors G5
Jul 4, 2005
12,037
493
i3iz said:
makes sense. I saw the black corner and thought, a camera! then i couldnt find a description that stated there was one.

I think they yanked it at the last minute, replaced it with a plastic piece.
Click to expand...

What? I detect sarcasm...
 
P

puffnstuff

macrumors 65816
Jan 2, 2008
1,469
0
iBookG4user said:
I highly doubt that they will release a new iPod Touch with a camera in the immediate future. I would think that would have to wait until the next rev, otherwise they'll have a mob of early adopters with pitchforks :p
Click to expand...

They do this all the time that's why it's good NOT to be an early adopter

A month is highly unlikely January or May if anything.
 
I

iVoid

macrumors 65816
Jan 9, 2007
1,145
190
ashimashi said:
not gonna happen :D
Click to expand...

Yeah, if it was a production issue, they might release a Touch with camera early next year. I think the iPod lineup is pretty much set for xmas now.

If it was a case of them wanting to differentiate the products, then it'll be a year at least before they put the camera in the Touch.
 
F

freiheit

macrumors 6502a
Jul 20, 2004
643
90
California
When they add it, I might buy it

Well when they do add a camera (with the touch-to-focus technology) to the iPod Touch, then they might sell one to me. Until then, it's just not convincing enough for me.
 
The Samurai

The Samurai

macrumors 68020
Dec 29, 2007
2,051
738
Glasgow
Boy is there going to be a lot of angry people if they plan to launch a camera version this year. Would be sensible to launch it in their next yearly revision.
 
mattwolfmatt

mattwolfmatt

macrumors 65816
Jun 7, 2008
1,085
197
Maybe for $20, they'll sell a DIY ipod touch camera kit. The camera, a putty knife, some superglue and a rosary.
 
J

j_appel

macrumors member
Jun 6, 2004
47
3
Illinois
Not sure if they would release it before next September, but there is a chance. The 32GB first generation iPod touch was released in February. Just five months after the iPod touch was introduced.
 
nofear1az

nofear1az

macrumors 6502
Nov 13, 2003
299
163
AZ
maybe they left it out so it'll blend better :)

I don't know why they left it out and I just don't believe the story about technical issues is the reasoning. They know how to put cameras in their devices, they did it with the iPhone and they just did it with the Nano which is half the size of a Touch and you're telling me they couldn't figure out a technicality problem to put it in a Touch? Seriously, how could anyone believe that. I truly, truly believe, it was intentionally left out probably just like Jobs said to bring the costs down as low as possible. Besides, they need to have a feature to add for the 4th Gen next year. hehe
 
F

Fx203

macrumors newbie
Aug 17, 2009
9
0
The ipod touch probably had problems with the camera so apple decided not to do it. Seeing as they announced that every ipod is "available today" at the event on the 9th. I think that apple wanted people to buy for the holidays what they released on the 9th while they fix the issue with the camera on the touch and mass produce enough to launch the same day its announced (probably sometime early next year, possibly when they announce there tablet).
 
M

MacFly123

macrumors 68020
Dec 25, 2006
2,340
0
I knew this was the case. I just wasn't sure how Apple could honestly have "production problems" with a stupid camera that they already have experience with in the iPhone. I figured it came down to Steve's obsession with thinness.

I'll bet anything they will refresh the Touch with a camera in January after the holidays!
 
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