Apple has been treating iPads more like computers and less like limited, mobile devices, and it has just taken a very productive step in that direction. As part of the iPadOS 17 update, your iPad will be getting support for external USB webcams and cameras.
The latest developer preview of iPadOS 17 allows people to connect USB webcams and cameras to their iPad. It allows for actual webcams as well as cameras connected via USB through devices such as the Elgato Cam Link 4K. Likewise, if your camera has a webcam mode, it might be supported, too. At the moment, external cameras only seem to work on FaceTime, on virtue of this support depending on a new API that developers will need to adopt eventually.
You can use an external camera in FaceTime in iPadOS 17. This is a GAME CHANGER!!!! @elgato pic.twitter.com/kbjohq3NyF
— John Branch IV (@jbivphotography) June 6, 2023
Once more developers start adopting this, and this capability lands on more apps, iPads have the potential of becoming capable mobile streaming stations. The front cameras on the iPads are already pretty good, so most likely you won’t need this unless you have very specific needs. Still, it’s good to have.
iPadOS 17 is available as a developer preview right now, with a public beta soon to follow. Chances are that you’ll use this once iPadOS 17 rolls out to everyone, though, which should happen later this year.
Source: The Verge
