Some observers found Apple's introduction of an "iSight" camera on its new iPad yesterday to be an interesting move, given that the name had previously been used for Apple's standalone and integrated webcams on its Mac computers but had fallen out of favor as Apple transitioned those webcams to adopt "FaceTime" and "FaceTime HD".

With the third-generation iPad, Apple has resurrected the iSight name to refer to the 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, as opposed to the front-facing FaceTime camera also found on the device. As noted by Phil Schiller during the product's introduction:

On the back we have a camera, and when that camera gets of such quality and capability that you're proud to use it as your everyday camera for photographs, we call it an iSight camera. And the new iPad has a great iSight camera.

As noted by @hashim_i, Apple has also retroactively applied the iSight name to the 8-megapixel camera found on the iPhone 4S, an understandable move considering its higher resolution and nearly identical optics compared to the new iPad.

iphone 4s isight
In addition, Apple's iPhone 4 tech specs are now referring to that device's 5-megapixel rear camera as an iSight camera. The naming convention has not, however, extended to the 3-megapixel iPhone 3GS camera.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

troop231 Avatar
174 months ago
Oh how we miss you iSight




When was the last time they used iSight to refer to a camera on a computer?
November 2010 when Apple started transitioning to FaceTime http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISight
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclardy Avatar
174 months ago
Man, 4G and an iSight camera all in one day!

The 4S is the gift that keeps on giving :D
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
174 months ago
iSight - High Quality camera for pictures and videos.
FaceTime - Camera for self portraits and FaceTime.
FaceTime HD - High Quality camera for self portraits and FaceTime.

Got it.

When was the last time they used iSight to refer to a camera on a computer?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kirky29 Avatar
174 months ago
I always liked the name iSight for a camera/webcam :)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Anonymous Freak Avatar
174 months ago
It just seems odd to me, since iSight previously referred to front facing cameras! (The old FireWire cam for iChat AV, the built-in front-facing cameras in computer systems and external displays.) It just seems odd to now have the rear facing camera be called that.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kid A Avatar
174 months ago
it was silly to abandon the iSight name and start naming cameras after a single app (FaceTime), when many people, especially on their Macs probably use it as much for other things (Skype, PhotoBooth) as for FaceTime...

...and having abandoned the iSight name, it's even sillier to resurrect it AND retro-apply it.

i'm not complaining. i'm just saying it seems silly. :rolleyes:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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