Apple rumored to have sourced dual cameras for 2nd-gen iPad

A new research note from research firm Detweiler Fenton (via Barron's) claims that OmniVision Technologies (NASDAQ: OVTI) has won the contract to supply image sensors for both a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera and front-facing VGA camera for the second-generation iPad. The report goes on to say that the next-gen iPad will debut in the first quarter of 2011, but relatively late in the quarter.

The research firm contends the new iPad will ship with two cameras, a 5 MP camera and a VGA camera, and likely will support Apple's FaceTime video chat software. Detweiler says their early read is that Apple will build 2.5 million units of the next iPad in calendar Q1, providing an incremental 5 million units of demand from Apple for OVTI, which also supplies sensors for the iPhone.

We knew that this was coming eventually, and now that a supplier has be identified dual cameras seem to be a sure thing for inclusion on iPad 2.0. What I found most interesting was that the timeline has been extended to "late" Q3, which means that we most likely won't see it in January as had been rumored by some.

Tip: MacRumors