The tenth iteration of Apple’s budget iPad could shift the front camera to the side of the display and embed a Touch ID fingerprint reader into a side button.
- What’s happening? A report out of Japan suggests that Apple’s tenth-generation iPad could relocate the FaceTime front camera at the top of the display to the right side. It is also believed that Apple will embed Touch ID into a side button, like we saw with the latest iPad mini model.
- Why care? Moving the camera to the side could improve reframing with Center Stage, which applies automatic crops and pans to keep everyone in the frame.
- What to do? If you’re in the market for an affordable iPad, don’t hit that Buy button until the next budget iPad becomes official sometime in October.
iPad 10 could shit its FaceTime camera to the side
That’s according to a Japanese blog, called Mac Oakara, which has apparently learned from unknown Chinese sources about the FaceTime camera shift and Touch ID in the side button. Read: How to fix Touch ID not working
Claimed CAD drawings for the device’s chassis suggest that the tenth generation could be a bit wider and slimmer than its predecessor. The rumor mill is expecting a bit larger display, growing from 10.2 inches to 10.7 inches. Therefore, an updated enclosure would be needed to house that bigger screen.
Mac Otakara’s sources have also made claims that Apple will move its Touch ID fingerprint scanner to the device’s side button, a solution we saw with the iPad mini.
With Touch ID staying albeit in a different form, the next budget iPad isn’t expected to adopt Face ID. And while screen bezels are expected to shrink, it’s unclear if they’ll be just a tad thinner or as thin as on the iPad mini.
As for the FaceTime HD camera, it should be relocated from the center of the top edge to the right side. According to the report, shifting the camera to the side will improve Center Stage’s reframing feature which works better in the landscape than in portrait orientation. Read: How to blur your background during FaceTime calls
Mac Otakara is a fairly reliable source of Apple rumors, but this particular write-up notes that exact details remain unknown so take it with a few pinches of salt.