The past year has seen a lot of new smartphones (and superphones) arrive in the market. Though the iPhone still retains its popularity over its competitors, one feature that it truly lags behind is in its camera technology.
All of us users do know for a fact that while the camera produces pretty crispy images in natural light, things aren't good in low-light situations due to lack of camera flash.
Few days back, there were reports about Apple having signed a contract with Omnivision Technologies to purchase 5 megapixel CMOS image sensors from the company. At that time, we had written that a 5MP camera could bridge the one apparent gap between the iPhone and Motorola Droid.
Now, there are more interesting rumors. The next generation of iPhone could in fact also come with LED camera flash. Folks at Apple Insider report their sources as saying that Apple is shopping for "tens of millions" of LED camera flash components for delivery through 2010. It is believed that the next generation of iPod touch could also come with this component. Philips Lumileds Lighting sector, the makers of LUXEON LED camera flashes is said to be the most likely firm to bag the contract.
As with all our earliers speculations, this one too has to be taken with grain of salt. But we hope this one is correct as it's high time Apple included camera flash technology in the iPhone. If all of these rumors were to come true, you can expect a 64GB iPhone 4G with 5MP camera (with LED flash) running on multi-core processors and possibly on CDMA as well as GSM.
What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
[via Apple Insider]
OK, a flash is one thing, but when are apple going to realise that people don't want to press a touch screen to take a photo? It's cumbersome and often pretty difficult. I know it will mess up the "pretty lines" but give us a bloody camera button like every other phone!
agreed!
The components are GREAT, but the looks kills. That's why the iPhone has been dominating, as well as its user interface.
i agree. i don't need a stinkin camera button. i think snapture does a great job about that issue.
agreed guys, the iphone is known as a fully touch screen phone
we dont want a damn camera button!.
what i do and probably some of you do is just point at objest takin pic of hold the camera button, down let it steady focus then let go itll shoot,
this is betetr cause you not pushin the phone to take a pic and it loose focus
I need a new camera, a new ipod touch (my 32GB is full), and I am eligible for a new phone on Verizon. If all of the above features come to be, I could replace those 3 items with a single iPhone, and would personally write Apple a letter of gratitude.
LED that's old. Pictures never come out right. Do it right or not at all.
Xenon flashes take too much battery power to operate, although i dont use my camera on my iPhone all that much, and would be ok in my situation, most ppl are picture happy and wanna flick a pic everytime they turn around.LED flashes are the best comprimise in this situation. Yes, xenon flashes would be better, but im not ready to carry around a much larger phone to make up for the larger battery and the charging circuits, i have a professional camera for that. allthough, a xenon flash that connected to the bottom of the iPhone would solve every iPhones no flash problem and should have its own power supply… but i dont guess anyone has thought of that quite yet….. This is something apple should look into, but they arent going to do it because why not make you want to want the new features that your current iPhone is not capapble of………… Love ya Apple……. i understand its just buisness, but so is dope dealing.
Just to clarify, i ment a flash adapter that connected to the bottom of the iPhone via the charging port.
who's ever dropped their prized electronics into a puddle, toilet or just gut it wet due to sweating while running?
this is an old article but what do you guys think about a waterproof iphone/ipod w/o any added weight? http://www.popsci.com/gear-%2526-gadgets/article/2008-08/waterproof-world
popsci had this article about waterproofing just about anything by zapping with radio waves and a gas
when you don't like the button, take photos with the volume control buttons on the side, search in cydia or google for this and you'll find something