Whether I hold my iPad in landscape or portrait mode, the other people on my FaceTime calls tell me that it doesn’t look like I’m looking at them. I am looking at their eyes on my screen, but I guess because of where the camera is it doesn’t appear that way to them. Any suggestions?
iPad Pro, iPadOS 15
What you are seeing is a fundamental limitation of tablet and camera design - which becomes more pronounced as screens become larger… and you getting closer to the screen.
By necessity, the iPad camera (being located in the iPad screen bezel) is off-axis; the bigger the screen and the closer you are to it, the more this physical limitation becomes apparent. This effect is not limited to iPad, but similarly affects all computing platforms that employ a front-facing camera.
Unless you are looking directly at the camera, you gaze will never appear to be looking in its direction. Ultra wide-angle lenses, such as that employed by the 2021 iPad Pro, seem to visually exaggerate this effect - hence the behaviour that you observe.
When comparing with a a desktop or laptop PC, the camera is most often placed at the top as opposed to the side of the screen (as is the case when using your iPad in Landscape orientation). As such, when using a PC, you gaze may appear to be below and away from the camera axis. A correctly positioned laptop will have the top-edge of the screen (and hence the camera) will be approximately at eye-level. Whilst your gaze will still be directed downwards, the off-axis effect will be minimised.
It follows that the only way that this limitation could be fully resolved is to place the camera lens dead-centre - looking through your screen. Clearly, this is not a viable proposition with current screen technology.
In conclusion, there is nothing that you can do - other than to place the screen slightly further away to reduce the unavoidable effect.
I think I get it now. My two family members are both using desktop computers and when I talk to them they do appear to be pretty much looking at me when we’re talking, but they say that’s not the case for me. You’re saying that on the desktops like they’re using, they’re of course always in landscape mode and the camera is at the top of the screen, not very far from the center of the display where they’re looking. Whereas with my large 12.9” iPad Pro, when I’m in landscape mode the camera is farther off to the left or right on the bezel, rather than somewhat closer to the center of the screen as it is at the top of their desktop computers. I can slightly minimize the effect by being farther from the iPad.
i guess in a different universe Apple could have dealt with this by putting the camera on one of the lengthwise bezels rather than on a widthwise bezel, but then video-chatting or photography when holding the iPad in portrait mode would be too weird. I guess it’s an inevitable effect of allowing the user to hold the iPad in any way you want.
I guess this is a a good reason to get a laptop or desktop.
Yes - you’ve certainly got it. Some users prefer to use their iPad in Portrait screen orientation - with the camera at the top.
When the iPad is used in Landscape - as is usually the case when using a folio (or similar) keyboard, the camera will be at the left or right of the screen.
While we have absolutely no insight into Apple’s future plans concerning camera positioning, consider this…
If the camera where placed in one of the long edges of the bezel, the camera would then appear to be in either the top or bottom edge of the screen when used in Landscape - as dictated by the choice of Landscape positioning.
Some users (myself being a prime example), for practical purposes position the iPad in Landscape with the USB-C port to the left of the screen. So, for myself and similar users, the camera would ideally be placed at the top (i.e., the left-hand long edge of the iPad as referenced in Portrait orientation). This arrangement has the disadvantage of placing the Apple Pencil at the bottom of the screen when docked with the iPad.
By contrast, other users, perhaps using an Apple Smart or folio keyboard, will have their iPad oriented with the USB-C port to the right of the screen when used in Landscape. This arrangement places the Pencil usefully at [what is now] the top edge of the screen. If the camera were to also to be placed in the “top” edge (i.e, the right edge of the iPad in Portrait orientation), this would have to physically displace the Apple Pencil dock and inductive charging system.
As such, you can perhaps understand some of the design considerations and compromises necessary for iPad.
Nothing to do. They need to understand that the camera is either off to the side or above the screen, in either position, you would need to be looking at the camera, and not at what is happening on screen.
Its a byproduct of needing a camera in a different spot to the screen. There is no way to magically make you be looking at them if your aren't looking at the camera.
FaceTime is awkward on iPad Pro 12.9”
