Upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro Rumored to Feature Upgraded 1080p Webcam

[JCCL]

The Surface Pro 4 has 1080 cam but it's 8.45mm thick.

The current MBP 13" overall thickness 15.6mm thick. So it's possible although the lid portion will be probably much thicker.

Well in all fairness, I kept looking at the specs and indeed the Surface Laptop, which has a comparable lid, also has a 720p camera.

 

[transpo1]

Please list the services where you stream your webcam in 1080p. I'll wait.

Hint: none.

I fully understand you could conceivably use webcam for local recording, but people doing serious recording aren't using a built-in camera. The webcam is for streaming, and most streaming services are going to flux between 240p and 720p at an absolutely maximum.

I'm all for having a better image quality (better sensor, more light), but 1080p resolution specifically is absolutely meaningless for Facetime and all of your other video conferencing.

Sincerely,
Senior Developer for a major video conferencing company

As a former streaming producer at a major tech company, I can tell you the starting resolution and quality of the camera can make a big difference in overall quality, though.

 

[1262385]

1080p? I was hoping for 8k. Damn anyone who doesn’t want to see every inch of my face in fine detail!

8K is so yesterday. Where’s the 16K webcam we deserve? /s

 

[satchmo]

Well in all fairness, I kept looking at the specs and indeed the Surface Laptop, which has a comparable lid, also has a 720p camera.

From your link:

Windows Hello face sign-in camera (front-facing) 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p HD video 8.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p HD video Stereo microphones Stereo speakers with Dolby® Audio™ Premium

 

[ignatius345]

It would be pretty shameful if it didn't.

 

[JDHiro]

Please list the services where you stream your webcam in 1080p. I'll wait.

Hint: none.

FaceTime supports 1080p now.

Also, I use the Logi 4K webcam with my Pro Display, and I have to say it really does make a difference regardless of the resolution you're streamed at. Part of that is probably having a larger aperture/sensor for improved low light conditions though.

 

[Frixos]

I will say that the camera in the M1 MBA is much better than my previous 2013 15MBP

 

[1129846]

This is super long over due. It here has been zero excuse well over 5 years.

 

[Khedron]

Please list the services where you stream your webcam in 1080p. I'll wait.

Hint: none.

I fully understand you could conceivably use webcam for local recording, but people doing serious recording aren't using a built-in camera. The webcam is for streaming, and most streaming services are going to flux between 240p and 720p at an absolutely maximum.

I'm all for having a better image quality (better sensor, more light), but 1080p resolution specifically is absolutely meaningless for Facetime and all of your other video conferencing.

Sincerely,
Senior Developer for a major video conferencing company

Surely you should know better then. Please list the services which people use to stream the raw feed from their webcam with no processing applied. Then please list the video processing methods for which the quality of the output does not depend on the quality of the input signal.

 

[dandeco]

About time. But of course I bought this M1 MacBook Air roughly three months ago before such announcements were made, but that was largely so I could have a newer Mac laptop that could run Mac OS 11 Big Sur and any future versions. As for the webcam, I don't use FaceTime, but I do sometimes do Skype and Facebook video chats, but 720p is still fine for that. If I shoot any of my fursuit vlogs, I still like to use my Canon VIXIA HF-R600 camcorder, as in addition to the better resolution I also have better control over my video, and so they look a lot more slick once I edit them and upload them on YouTube.
As for any upcoming M1X or M2 Macs, I'm just waiting for news about the impending higher-end Mac Mini or the rumored Mac Pro Cube, to replace my 2012 quad-core i7 Mac Mini as my main desktop computer (after which the 2012 Mini becomes part of my collection of older functioning Macs.)

 

[hans1972]

The upgrade was 10 years too late, before the pandemic.

Disagree. I like bad webcams since I don't want people to see me.

 

[hans1972]

This news (if true) will be welcomed news for those who make use of Zoom and other type Software for conference.

What of those who are ugly? Wouldn't you prefer they have bad webcams?

I would pay extra for not having a web cam.

 

[hans1972]

Does it hurt you, to let other people get access to (maybe even good quality) 1080p (25% information of UHD) instead of lousy quality 720p (1/9 the info of UHD)? You can always restrict your use-size to lowest possible quality; how about 480p, 360p or 240p, eh...?

So how do you turn on the worst quality on the web cam on a Mac which works for any applications?

 

[kerr]

While I would love a 14” MacBook Air, the 2021 14” MacBook Pro definitely sounds like my upgrade path from my current 2017 13” MacBook Pro.

 

[UltimoInfierno]

What of those who are ugly? Wouldn't you prefer they have bad webcams?

I would pay extra for not having a web cam.

Sigh... the biggest problem during the pandemic is, that people (especially students, turn off their cameras, but you obviously regard those people as part of the "intelligentzia" ;-).

You haven't discovered that option yet, ehhh...?

You do not even have to pay extra, to turn the webcam off. The wealthiest of us, can cover the cam with a piece of tape, if nothing else works ;-)

Sigh!

 

[UltimoInfierno]

So how do you turn on the worst quality on the web cam on a Mac which works for any applications?

Depends on the program, but if you wan't to "blur" everything, you might as well turn off the video (or cover the camera with a tape, if you have the means ;-)

The latter even works on the cameras in your smartphone, but your photos may turn a tad monotonous to look at ;-)

 

[LFC2020]

Just in time for Face ID. 😁

 

[Tozovac]

But still no face ID? I really don't underatand why it wasn't put in the macbooks years ago... unless it's because they'd have to make the screen thixker to fix the sensors, and we all know how much apple likes their products to be as thin as possible...

Face ID makes less sense (or seems less advantageous) to me on a MacBook than it does on an iPad or iPhone. Face ID on an iPad or iPhone could be an advantage in one-handed use applications, and you're usually going to be facing the iPhone/iPad anyway from the start, while, for a MacBook, you're either always going to be touching the keyboard anyway so why not start out with touch ID, or you're going to be using it in clamshell mode and won't have access to the camera...

Having said that, I vastly prefer touch ID on the iPhone/iPad, as touch ID is too limiting sometimes. I can't unlock it with a finger when the phone is stored away from view, especially when driving. But you know Apple...aways have to remove "something" physical every year or two under the guise of giving the user something new, only to backtrack 50% of the time after realizing their error.

 

[hans1972]

Surely you should know better then. Please list the services which people use to stream the raw feed from their webcam with no processing applied. Then please list the video processing methods for which the quality of the output does not depend on the quality of the input signal.

The Macs are already doing a lot of processing before it reaches the video streaming service. If you are transferring 380p it will probably be very little difference between a 720p and a 1080p camera.

I bet you most people couldn't pick the difference between a 720p camera and a 1080p camera going through a service like Zoom, Teams, Skype etc.

 

[hans1972]

Depends on the program,

But you said "You can always restrict your use-size to lowest possible quality".

So I am using Microsoft Teams and I can't find any way to reduce the video quality from my web cam. Nor can I find a way to do it natively on the Mac. I don't think Apple provides such functionality.

 

[goobot]

Please list the services where you stream your webcam in 1080p. I'll wait.

Hint: none.

I fully understand you could conceivably use webcam for local recording, but people doing serious recording aren't using a built-in camera. The webcam is for streaming, and most streaming services are going to flux between 240p and 720p at an absolutely maximum.

I'm all for having a better image quality (better sensor, more light), but 1080p resolution specifically is absolutely meaningless for Facetime and all of your other video conferencing.

Sincerely,
Senior Developer for a major video conferencing company

I’m pretty sure FaceTime is 1080p, there’s also future proofing for when inevitably all service do support 1080p

 

[hans1972]

Depends on the program, but if you wan't to "blur" everything, you might as well turn off the video (or cover the camera with a tape, if you have the means ;-)

There is no problem not using the camera. I want to have a picture without too much details of my face the 1-2 times a month it needs to be on.

 

[deevey]

Finally, the courage include a 1080p camera in 2021!

Courage was never the problem. Technology to get a decent quality 1080p sensor and optics inside the slim lid has been holding back the inclusion.

I wonder if the people at apple really use computers? I want my iPhone front facing camera to be as good as my rear facing camera and I want my webcam to be a 4k HDR low light champ.

I agree that the front webcam on tablets for webcam purposes should be equivalent to the rear, its never made sense to me that it didn't.

However, low light champ would require depth, big sensor and a big lens.

Uuh, my iMac Pro has a 1080 webcam in it.

Nevertheless, it's about freaking time they add it to the MacBook Pro

How thick is the screen again ?

Some part of you has to know this is BS, yeah? Apple has effectively used the exact same part for 6 years now. 6 years. How much have iPhones advanced in 6 years? How much more power has been packed into their relatively unchanged frames since the move to the X form factor? How much more powerful have their cameras become with each iteration?
No, "thinness" is just the scape goat. Lack of priority until 2020 is the reason Mac users still look like anthropomorphic potatoes in 2021.

Why not blame the companies that actually manufacture the sensors for the lack of innovation in camera technology over the past couple of years.

Apple builds the machine, the majority of the components are someone else. Apple simply used the one thats available that fits in the chassis.

I fully understand you could conceivably use webcam for local recording, but people doing serious recording aren't using a built-in camera. The webcam is for streaming, and most streaming services are going to flux between 240p and 720p at an absolutely maximum.

I'm all for having a better image quality (better sensor, more light), but 1080p resolution specifically is absolutely meaningless for Facetime and all of your other video conferencing.

Completely agree but:

Please list the services where you stream your webcam in 1080p. I'll wait.

Ironically, their own FaceTime is the one that DOES do 1080p calls

 

[hans1972]

Sigh... the biggest problem during the pandemic is, that people (especially students, turn off their cameras, but you obviously regard those people as part of the "intelligentzia" ;-).

The use case is when you have to have the camera on because of policy or politeness but you don't want them to have a good look at you.

No policy as ever said you have to the camera on and the quality has to be good in my experience.

 

[Realityck]

The upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro will feature an upgraded 1080p webcam, compared to the current 720p "FaceTime HD" camera in Apple's latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, according to a leaker who goes by the name "Dylandkt."

In a tweet, the leaker says that the upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros will be receiving "an updated, improved 1080p webcam" alongside the "entire Mac lineup." Apple's most recent Mac, the 24-inch iMac, features a 1080p webcam; however, its MacBook Air and MacBook Pro continue to feature a 720p camera. While the quality of the webcam itself hasn't changed, Apple says that thanks to M1 and its latest image signal processor, image quality is improved on the MacBooks.​

These rumors are becoming boring because we already know this. Tell us something new about some other possible features.

Yes 24" iMacs have this already.