iPad 2: A Clearer Picture of What to Expect

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iPad 2: A Clearer Picture of What to Expect

New rumors are circulating that the next iPad will have front- and back-facing cameras, and FaceTime. We looked at what you might expect from the iPad 2 back in August, but in the intervening months, much has come to light that paints a different picture.

With more competitors entering the fray, Apple will have to really impress to maintain its commanding lead when it does introduce a new model. The next iPad will deliver more of what users want, and it'll pick up a few tricks from its nearest Mac relative, the MacBook Air.

All-in on FaceTime

Apple will bring front and back cameras to the iPad. Even if the reports about OmniVision's contract for image sensors for both a 5-megapixel rear and VGA front-facing camera hadn't surfaced, I'd be sure of this. The cameras are a definite upgrade incentive for first-gen iPad owners, but they also expand the reach of FaceTime and bolster Apple's mobile video standing.

Many will object that the rear-facing camera isn't as much of a certainty, especially if Apple just wants people to use video calling, but I think we'll see it. It'll draw in users who don't already have an iPhone or iPod touch for mobile video, and besides, the ability to switch between views is something Apple really pushed in its FaceTime-based iPhone marketing campaigns. It's a key differentiator, and Apple wants users to have it on all mobile platforms.

More Ports

If there's one thing Apple hates, it's slots, knobs and buttons marring the edges of its machines. Still, some are predicting more of those for the next iPad. Goldman Sachs analysts say the iPad 2 will get mini-USB, and Mission:Repair says the iPad will have two dock connectors so it can be docked in either portrait or landscape mode.

The mini-USB thing just isn't going to happen. Apple has too much invested in the dock connector for now, and I think if they ever do replace it, it'll be with a micro-doc...

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