Will FaceTime HD come to the iPhone 5 by way of a high definition front camera?

Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Cameras, Smartphones, Editorial, Handhelds

Disclaimer: this is pure speculation based on rumors, track record, and wishful thinking. So, no hurt feelings if it doesn't come to pass.

The way we see it, Apple methodically has been updating its entire Mac lineup with HD front facing cameras. The first to receive it was the iMac in mid-2011, quickly followed by last year's Macbook Pro lineup and subsequently the newly refreshed generation of MacBook Pros and Macbook Air; the lineup includes the 11-, 13-, and 15-inch as well as the flagship Macbook Pro with Retina display. The result is 720p high-definition video chat. The missing ingredient is the inclusion of HD FaceTime chat for iOS devices. Sure, the back of an iPhone 4/4S, iPad 2, and new iPad are technically HD cameras, and one could switch to that camera with a quick toggle, but it's still not ideal for most video chat interactions. I'm postulating that Apple could potentially introduce its first HD front-facing camera for iOS devices with the iPhone 5.

Now, the alleged iPhone 5 leaked parts have been pegged to be as thin as 7.6mm, super thin when compared to the current iPhone 4S at 9.3mm. Consequently, the current iPod touch is 7.2mm thin, yet still rocks a high-defintion rear camera. Therefore, in theory, Apple could manage a front facing camera upgrade with room to spare (albeit not much.) This piece of hardware hasn't been upgraded in 2 years, 3 months, and 3 days according to Siri. Currently, there are other smartphones in the market that have high definition front-facing cameras, but with abysmal video chat software when compared to FaceTime. This has lead me to surmise that iPhone 5 is a prime candidate. Now, imagine making a FaceTime call in high definition with the iPhone 5 and its 1136x640 display, connecting to another iPhone 5 or Mac with FaceTime HD camera. The result is HD video chat (or, technically, almost HD) on both ends, and we think we'll be seeing it later this week. It would sure pair nicely with the global LTE that the iPhone 5 will be sporting.