Just as I got all excited with the iPod touch rumors, iFixit via MacRumors tears down my initial excitement with why the iPod touch could have FaceTime sans a snap & shoot camera. We know that with the iPod nano, video sensors can be significantly smaller than what’s used to snap photographs. So while Apple could implement a bunch of movie features, they’d be hard pressed to install a snapshot camera unless the design of the iPod touch changes dramatically (it basically has to get a little fatter). But sometimes you have to move a little backwards to move really far forwards – I really want to see the iPod touch become my next point-and-shoot camera. Kyle Wiens basically told me I’m dreaming.
The iPod touch dimensions don’t include the casing and display, so actual usable space is smaller than the 6mm shown. This shows that the iPhone 4’s back camera can not fit in the iPod touch, though the front FaceTime camera could. It’s possible that Apple might “square off” the iPod touch design like the iPhone 4, but even so, Wiens still isn’t sure that it would be possible in the current dimensions. That would mean Apple would have to make the iPod touch thicker as well as “squaring off” the design to accommodate the 5MP camera.
I’m thinking Apple will eventually figure something out. Apple might not even include a 5MP with the iPod touch if they decided to implement one. I would argue they might install only a 3MP to make the iPhone appear more valuable (not an issue of space – just a feature speculation). So while we’ll probably get FaceTime and perhaps video recording with the new iPod touch, we’ll just have to wait to see if Apple’s engineering team is willing to compromise on the thickness of a new iPod for the sake of taking photographs.
[via MacRumors]
