The cameras on iPad models, regardless of which, is usually far from a top priority when it comes to picking an Apple tablet. But for those who use the iPad Air professionally, and have had issue with where their front-facing cameras are positioned, there’s some potentially good news ahead. In their upcoming incarnation, these may have their secondary cameras moved to the side, rather than the top.
Well, on the side when holding the tablets right side up anyway. This means that, if you use the iPad Air for video calls often, the new camera position will mimic that of a laptop webcam when used in landscape mode. Should this claim be accurate, this means that the camera will be on the same side where the Apple Pencil 2 is magnetically attached. Which makes a lot of aesthetic sense, challenges to implementation aside.
This information comes from Weibo user Instant Digital over the weekend, with both sizes of the iPad Air was mentioned specifically. Separately though, MacRumors reports that code in iOS 17.4 hinted that this change could also come to the iPad Pro, with the setting up for Face ID being mentioned as the reason for the change.
While it’s an oddly specific reason to justify the change, it probably makes more sense that the Pro model gets this change. After all, it would be those using the tablet as a working tool – and would probably be involved in more video calls – who would appreciate the front-facing camera more.
At any rate though, continuous pinches of salt is recommended. While previous leaks pointed at March being the release month for both new MacBooks and iPads, so far only the laptop side has panned out as claimed.
