Singapore Carriers to Offer iPhone 4S Models Without Cameras

This is kind of interesting. The JakartaGlobe is reporting that three of Apple’s Singapore-based carrier partners are planning to offer camera-less iPhone 4S models to their subscribers in the near future.

While this removes one of the handset’s biggest features — its 8MP camera, it does make the device more appealing to the the military crowd. Which is perfect, because that’s exactly who they’re targeting…

From the JakartaGlobe report:

“Following a year-long review, Mindef [the Singapore Defense Ministry] recently issued guidelines to its servicemen on the use of such smartphone. It is understood that servicemen with these phones must show a certificate to prove that their handsets were modified by any one of the local telcos.”

But it’s not Apple modifying these things, it’s the carriers. They’re taking the handsets and disabling both the front and back cameras. And then they’re selling them for a premium.

The camera-less iPhones are the perfect solution for any company that deals with highly-sensitive materials, not just the Singapore Military. RIM has been manufacturing camera-less BlackBerries for years.

It’ll be interesting to see if this trend catches on. It would certainly help Apple make further inroads into the government and enterprise markets.

[MacRumors]