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iPhone OS 4 Beta 4 Hints Camera for iPad, iPod

By - Source: Tom's Guide US

The latest iPhone OS beta clearly shows a camera and LED flash for the iPod Touch and iPad.

It's an uncanny coincidence that news of the latest iPhone OS beta happened to surface just a day after an iPod Touch with a built-in camera appeared on the streets of Vietnam. As if to back up the hands-on video seen Wednesday, there are now reports that iPhone OS 4 Beta 4 shows signs of a built-in camera with LED flash for both the iPod Touch and the iPad. That's right, Apple's fresh new tablet is slated to receive a camera too.

An examination of the operating system's code revealed commands and values for the LED flash function that defines the ON, OFF, and AUTO modes. A further inspection then revealed all three Apple devices in the Flash Disabled portion, listing messages including "The iPad needs to cool down before you can use the flash." Another portion confirms the iPod Touch camera under the "TIFFMAKE" section. There's certainly no question that the latest OS plans to support the hardware.

On an additional note, iPhone OS 4 Beta also made references to Mac OS 10.7 in the AVMediaFormat section. The inclusion of the 10.7 code could indicate that the OS will hit the market sometime within the iPhone OS 4.0 lifespan: June 2010 to June 2011.

Naturally everything discovered here with iPhone OS 4 Beta 4 is unconfirmed by Apple, and doesn't really indicate that the next generation of devices will feature the indicated hardware. However, if Wednesday's video is indeed the real deal, users may see the camera-endowed iPod Touch rear its head later this year. Maybe since the proverbial cat is out of the bag, Jobs and Co. will give up on keeping secrets and lay it all out for fans during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference next month.

There are 33 Comments.
Top Comments
  • 27
    Abrahm , May 21, 2010 2:35 AM
    Breaking news: Apple products getting features they should have already had. More at 11.
  • 18
    tokenz , May 21, 2010 2:36 AM
    Can you put all the new features of OS4.0 in one article. So the front page isnt all apple news today. I am tired of bashing apple today.
  • 16
    sliem , May 21, 2010 2:50 AM
    Life was so much simpler when Apple was just a fruit.
Other Comments
  • 27
    Abrahm , May 21, 2010 2:35 AM
    Breaking news: Apple products getting features they should have already had. More at 11.
  • 18
    tokenz , May 21, 2010 2:36 AM
    Can you put all the new features of OS4.0 in one article. So the front page isnt all apple news today. I am tired of bashing apple today.
  • 14
    nforce4max , May 21, 2010 2:40 AM
    Please for the love of God stop the Apple crap, with each article that get posted the more it drives people insane.

    These articles are flame baits!
  • 3
    tokenz , May 21, 2010 2:45 AM
    I am kinda surprised that apple didn't just put in the camera in this generation, and then the led flash in the next. Oh wait they are probably going to charge 20 bucks for an update to turn the led on. You know like what they did with bluetooth.
  • 16
    sliem , May 21, 2010 2:50 AM
    Life was so much simpler when Apple was just a fruit.
  • 0
    nforce4max , May 21, 2010 2:51 AM
    I am exhausted FFS but Hitler will take my place today.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lui0-4IW64

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuA_OUL91og

    And their fan base continues on.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLcc19mt4eA
  • 4
    Kelavarus , May 21, 2010 2:57 AM
    tokenzCan you put all the new features of OS4.0 in one article. So the front page isnt all apple news today. I am tired of bashing apple today.


    Haha, nice.

    And... Considering the theoretical prototypes have already been dismantled and looked over, why is this news? Didn't those articles already say they had cameras?
  • 0
    warezme , May 21, 2010 2:58 AM
    could kevin please pull his apple whatever out of his (whatever orifice you want) and stop posting worthless apple stuff every 5 minutes.
  • 7
    tokenz , May 21, 2010 3:03 AM
    I dont understand why you guys haven't been covering any of the google news today. I mean I would think that android getting flash is a bigger deal than the iphone getting anything.
  • 0
    dman3k , May 21, 2010 3:14 AM
    And tomorrow, Apple will be the one who will wind up with the "front face camera for mobile devices" patent...

    BTW: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/21036-9-google
  • -3
    tokenz , May 21, 2010 3:18 AM
    I love it. It takes 4 generations for apple to add a camera. And android has flash in its first. Now all I need is for a good manufacturer to make an android phone. I just dont like HTC.
  • 0
    anonymous@guest , May 21, 2010 3:29 AM
    How much does Apple pay you, Tomsguide, for doing their marketing?
  • 5
    tokenz , May 21, 2010 3:33 AM
    apple4everHow much does Apple pay you, Tomsguide, for doing their marketing?


    I dont think apple is paying them. I think they are worried the about the swat team breaking down the door if they dont post positive stories about apple.
  • 2
    guzz46 , May 21, 2010 4:05 AM
    Quote:
    The iPad needs to cool down before you can use the flash


    Another top quality product from apple, i have a decent size xenon flash on my nokia n82 and i can use it as often as i want.

    Quote:
    How much does Apple pay you, Tomsguide, for doing their marketing?


    It does seem pretty suspicious how much mundane news gets posted about apple
  • 1
    tokenz , May 21, 2010 4:17 AM
    Maybe they are just hoping Apple sends them some free swag and devices.
  • 1
    gpace , May 21, 2010 4:19 AM
    I wouldn't be surprised if Apple starts a service where previous Ipad owners can send in their Ipads to get a web cam. The slot is already there (at least physically in the chassis, I'm not sure about the board itself)

    It'll be a low price of $200, must be worth it. *sarcasm*

    I really think other companies need to create their own private release meetings to create hype about a mundane product.
  • 3
    pharge , May 21, 2010 4:27 AM
    warezmecould kevin please pull his apple whatever out of his (whatever orifice you want) and stop posting worthless apple stuff every 5 minutes.


    Guys try to be fair.... at least as today May 20th at 5:21pm EST... Toms only have 2 Apple related news in total 14 news they posted on May 20th from 6am-5pm EST. And one of the 2 are actually the News for AT&T...

    1 out of 14 or 1/7 (if you count that AT&T news).... it is not that bad.... at least base on Tom's track record....;)

    However I do have problem of having similar news posted repeatly.. like the camera on new ipod.. which was first reported on the Vitenm leak news... maybe it is better to keep this one as an update or followup story instead of being a news by itself.
  • 0
    pharge , May 21, 2010 4:35 AM
    tokenzCan you put all the new features of OS4.0 in one article. So the front page isnt all apple news today. I am tired of bashing apple today.


    Agree... since both the previous post on AT&T is also iPhone OS4 related and both of these news are not the original report (which means have seen on Engadget, wired, or Gizmodo already), it is defintely a good idea to group them together to have a summary report. Wich also make Toms looks better than just copying and pasting new from other sites (I do thank you a lot to keep us "informed".. but Toms needs to show its originality).
  • 1
    aaron686 , May 21, 2010 4:42 AM
    Years into the smartphone age apple finally adds "features" that have been the standard for a very long time now and I bet the camera still would'nt be all that good considering the tech on rivaling devices. Even with the flash and possibly better camera, my old n97 will still pwn it.
  • 0
    eddieroolz , May 21, 2010 6:20 AM
    The OS can support any hardware, but at Apple, Lord Jobs will charge you $20 for an "update" that will enable the hardware.
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