New iPad SDK Adds Gesture Tools, Removes Video Chat Icons

[MacRumors]

Apple yesterday released the fourth beta version of the SDK for iPad developers, and observers have started to find a few differences popping up in the latest update.

9 to 5 Mac reports that Apple has added support for "3Tap" and "LongPress" gestures to the SDK, suggesting that the company is opening the door for developers to take advantage of these gestures in their applications. The gestures themselves are not new, as Apple has utilized them for such options as turning the iPhone's display on and off when using VoiceOver (triple tap) and activating copy/cut/paste (long press), but the added files should make it easier for developers to use them.

9 to 5 Mac also notes that Apple has removed several icons that previously hinted at the ability to accept or decline video chats on the iPad. Despite the apparent absence of a camera in the iPad, hooks for videoconferencing were discovered in the iPad SDK, leading to speculation that either a camera would be an added feature announced before launch or had been planned and was scrapped for unknown reasons. Hints of front-facing camera capabilities have continued to surface in iPad SDK betas, but it appears that Apple has begun removing some of these references.

Article Link: New iPad SDK Adds Gesture Tools, Removes Video Chat Icons

 

[floatingspirit]

I'm SO not buying an ipad without video chat.

 

[jav6454]

Figures the icons would be gone; I have a feeling the iPad won't be camera endowed until G2 of it rolls around. Otherwise the only update I can see happening is a higher capacity model rolling around before G2. (2010 and still at 16GB?)

 

[andiwm2003]

hm, i know of three people who say they won't buy an ipad without video chat/video skype.

not sure if they will stick to it. maybe if there is a third party camera they will buy an ipad......

 

[goobot]

no vid chat then

 

[sishaw]

My prediction:

There will be a 3rd party camera, and Apple will wait to see how popular it is before adding a built-in camera in a future model.

 

[montecarloss919]

There will be a 3rd party camera, and Apple will wait to see how popular it is before adding a built-in camera in a future model.

I hope this isnt the case. On a side note, I think its so stupid they didnt include a USB port on this thing. One port for an item like is so liming. I guarantee the majority of the people here love being able to use their laptop while having their iphone/ smartphone plugged in.

The only reason I feel that they arent adding a camera is to give them another incentive for someone to buy the next round of them.

 

[Darkroom]

strange. not sure how programming triple tap can be any easier? it's just a tapCount.

 

[afkbradshaw]

hmmmm

the few people that i have talked to that are bemoaning inability of video chat when pressed i find never actually use it. They talk about how great isight is on their macbook pros etc but again very rarely use this feature. I am not denying that there are people who do want it and who would use it, but the media hype surrounding it i feel is giving it more weight than it deserves. I have no idea why i woulod want an ipad but i expect a developer to write something outrageous and will MAKE me want one sooner than later. Probably why its such an exciting device.

 

[RalfTheDog]

I am not commenting on this story. Prerelease software quite often has features disappear then reappear later. If I were talking about the operating system for a not yet released device, I would tell most people to chill.

 

[manhattanboy]

It figures Apple would remove the one cool surprise from the iPad prior to launch.

 

[Compile 'em all]

strange. not sure how programming triple tap can be any easier? it's just a tapCount.

It is tap count within a time frame. I actually implemented the long tap gesture 6 months ago with timers. It is good to see Apple adding those little gestures here and there.

 

[manhattanboy]

There will be a 3rd party camera, and Apple will wait to see how popular it is before adding a built-in camera in a future model.

Or they can do what they did for the eBookshelf and just take someone else's work without their permission (like they did for Delicious Monster)

I am not commenting on this story.

Dear Sir, I believe you just did.

 

[BTW]

I was holding out hope for a front-facing camera. It would have been cool to use Skype or iChat and have video conferences etc with the device. I bet that will turn-off some business folks, other than myself, to buying it.

Maybe it was the lawsuit by Kodak that made them pull it (buy the company already).

 

[KingYaba]

iPad 2.0 will have a camera and a USB 3.0 port.

 

[boncellis]

I used to want the video conference camera...until the girl I used it for stopped talking to me. Moving on...

...what about 9to5's heretofore uncorroborated claim about a Core i7 announcement on Friday--anyone heard about that one?

Update: I guess it's corroborated now--actually, it was ZDNet's claim, 9to5 just quoted it:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=7641

 

[cmaier]

Figures the icons would be gone; I have a feeling the iPad won't be camera endowed until G2 of it rolls around. Otherwise the only update I can see happening is a higher capacity model rolling around before G2. (2010 and still at 16GB?)

What gave it away? The fact that no camera was announced? The fact that no camera was on any of the demo units the press got to play with? The fact that Gruber predicted all along, based on his sources, that there would be no camera?

 

[cmaier]

Or they can do what they did for the eBookshelf and just take someone else's work without their permission (like they did for Delicious Monster)

Yeah, who would have thought of using a bookshelf to represent a bookshelf.

 

[patsfan83]

Or they can do what they did for the eBookshelf and just take someone else's work without their permission (like they did for Delicious Monster)

Putting books on a wooden bookself in electronic form, now that's patentable.

I'm pretty sure Packard Bell's Navigator was out long before Delicious Monsters' (1995).

 

[rorschach]

There are also these icons...

 

[Eddyisgreat]

Yeah, who would have thought of using a bookshelf to represent a bookshelf.

lol.

Anyway's I love these little "just in case you had yer doubts, there is no ______!" gotchas from Apple i.e. removal of the flash thing on the NYTimes ipad advert, and now removal of the vidja chat stuff just confirms no secret surprises.

 

[likemyorbs]

They know we know, thats why they removed the video chat icons. They dont want people to hold out on this ipad because they think next generation might have a built in cam.

 

[boncellis]

Yeah, who would have thought of using a bookshelf to represent a bookshelf.

Ha! Good call on that one. But, I expected Apple to go with more of a Bauhaus feel with stainless steel and glass, not simulated wood grain.

 

[MikhailT]

Or they can do what they did for the eBookshelf and just take someone else's work without their permission (like they did for Delicious Monster)

They didn't steal anybody's work without permission, nor do they need to seek permissions from Delicious Monster of which I think is just being ridiculous. While it may sound like I'm defending Apple here, I'm just saying it's unreasonable and illogical to say Apple copied from Delicious Monster when there were a lot of applications that used the Wood bookcase theme as well. We might as well say Delicious Monster stole their design from somebody else, hell we could just say Delicious Monster stole their design from Staples since they use wood bookcases.

 

[patsfan83]

They didn't steal anybody's work without permission, nor do they need to seek permissions from Delicious Monster of which I think is just being ridiculous. While it may sound like I'm defending Apple here, I'm just saying it's unreasonable and illogical to say Apple copied from Delicious Monster when there were a lot of applications that used the Wood bookcase theme as well. We might as well say Delicious Monster stole their design from somebody else, hell we could just say Delicious Monster stole their design from Staples since they use wood bookcases.

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