Apple iPhone/iPad Video Calling Tipped In 3.2 SDK

Rumors – and complaints – about the absence of video chat functionality in the iPhone and iPad aren't anything new, but seemingly fresh to the table are signs in the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK of video calling in a future hardware build.  9to5mac spotted "AcceptVideo" and "DeclineOrEndVideo" icons in the SDK, as well as hints of deeper software functionality and apps in the underlying code.

iChat makes at least one appearance in the iPad build of the code, as do some VideoChat strings in the underlying iPad telephony apps.  While they could be remnants of Mac telephony code, 9to5mac admit, it does seem unlikely that Apple would have built iPad-specific icons for functionality that was never intended to be rolled out.

Of course, as it stands the current-gen iPhone lacks a front-facing video camera, and as far as we're aware there's no such hardware on the first-gen iPad either.  Apple could add a webcam in, certainly (they may have avoided mentioning it so as not to tip their development hand prior to the next-gen iPhone launch), but we'll have to wait until units begin shipping to see if that's been the case.

[via Everything iPad]