Leaked iPad 2 Screen Protectors Confirm Built-In Camera

iPad 2 screen protectors obtained by a high-profile Mac-centric blog seem to confirm rumors of a built-in, front facing camera placed atop of the tablet’s screen.

The source claims there’s little doubt about it, referring to the existence of a front facing camera on Apple’s yet unconfirmed iPad 2.

“Friends with access to iPad 2 screen protector inventory” provided 9to5mac with images of the parts in question which, indeed, show a minuscule opening at the top of the glass, opposed to a bigger, round opening at the bottom, where the tablet’s home button should be.

The blog recalls a Reuters eyewitness report which claimed that a camera-equipped iPad 2 prototype had been spotted at The Daily launch event.

A separate source reportedly provided the blog with a different set of shots of the same component.

These shots seem to indicate that Apple’s iPad 2 will also be a tad taller, and narrower.

However, Apple is not compromising on the real estate of the 1024 x 768 display, but rather narrowing down the screen bezel, going by recent findings from iOS SDK betas.

These findings also include an iOS version of the Mac OS X Photo Booth application, and the FaceTime application, which would enable iPad 2 owners to carry out video conversations over their wireless Internet connection.

With the iPad 2 front facing camera almost fully confirmed (not to mention the existence of the tablet itself), the only question remaining unanswered is: will the iPad 2 boast a second camera, on the back side?

It should, given that pretty much every competitor in the tablet industry has one, though fewer such indications have been reported so far.

The iPad 2 is expected to arrive next month.

Some believe Apple is aiming to move the yearly refresh cycle of the iPad to fall, with the iPad 3 also being on the table this year.