The webs were lit up this week over a Digitimes post outting the iPad 2′s camera equipment supplier: Largan Precision. The company is reportedly one of the vendors who supplies parts for the iPhone 4′s 5 MP camera, and is now rumored to be supplying the iPad 2′s cam as well.

While the tech sites feasted upon the headline, excited about discovering the camera supplier’s identity, I couldn’t help but get a whiff of a very different headline:

”No one cares who iPad 2 camera supplier is, just that it has one” (Beatweek Magazine)

There are probably others who feel the same way. Who cares who makes the camera, at least the Apple tablet may be finally getting one! And you know what? Normally I would be inclined to agree — except that, if this story is true, then this seemingly contradicts rumors that the iPad 2 is only getting a front camera. Largan makes 5 MP and 8 MP lens modules, which are beyond robust for a mere FaceTime cam.

In another post, CrunchGear’s John Biggs wondered if maybe a front VGA camera might be on tap. It cites another passage in the Digitimes article stating, “In order to focus on high-resolution lens modules, Largan will outsource production of VGA models for use in tablet PCs instead of producing in-house, the sources indicated.”

Confused yet? I am a little too. So Largan makes iPhone 4 camera equipment, and could be putting that in the iPad 2, or contracting out someone else who’ll supply a VGA cam, or perhaps none of that at all. And the iPad 2 could have a front camera, a rear camera, or both. There’s also an outside chance it could have neither: Even if Apple has plans to integrate one, there’s always the possibility that they’ll yank it at the last minute (which is what many believe happened to the last-gen iPod Touch. Despite a bevy of leaks and rumors indicating the device would be getting a camera last year, it didn’t happen until this year).

Unsurprisingly, Largan Precision hasn’t issued any official statements about this. It did, however, file Taiwan Stock Exchange documents stating it was the “sole lens module supplier” for the iPad 2. China Times says it was a lucky stroke for Largan; the company got the exclusive deal because GSEO, Apple’s other iPhone 4 camera supplier, is utterly swamped.

China Times also mentioned an end of first-quarter launch for the iPad 2. Now that’s the first thing in all this that makes sense. The iPad 1 debuted last April, so it’s reasonable to think we’d see the next-gen tablet around that time too.

Phew! Maybe we should take up that Beatweek Magazine perspective after all. Would be simpler than trying to decode this swamp of info.

Via: Digitimes, CrunchGear, Engadget, China Times

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