Apple may go whole-hog in the imaging department for the next-generation iPad by adding both a front-facing and rear-facing camera. Anonymous sources in the iPad supply chain speaking to Reuters say the next iPad will have both cameras in addition to being thinner and lighter. An improved display is also reportedly in the works.

One of the major criticisms of the iPad was its lack of camera hardware. Competing tablets that are beginning to come to market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab, feature one or more cameras built in.

Apple avoided adding camera hardware to the iPod touch for several generations, though the latest iPod touch features a FaceTime compatible camera on the front as well as a decidedly low-resolution camera on the rear. The rear-facing camera also lacks autofocus, but can produce decent, low-resolution stills and 720p HD video with adequate lighting. The iPod touch itself is simply too thin, and likely too inexpensive, to include a high-resolution autofocus camera module like that on the iPhone 4.

It seems obvious that Apple will add a relatively inexpensive FaceTime camera to the iPad—the more devices that can use Apple's video calling tech, the better. Unlike the iPod touch, there's plenty of room to also house a high-resolution camera module inside the iPad. The higher asking price of the iPad—which starts at about $300 more than the entry-level iPod touch—may be able to absorb the increased costs associated with the camera modules. And it would keep the iPad at feature parity with the competition.

On the other hand, the size and weight of the iPad would make for an awkward camera. Even our limited experience with the smaller Galaxy Tab suggests that a rear-facing camera might end up seldom used. Additionally, the added cost of a higher-end module might be too much for Apple's profit margin comfort. In this case, Apple may choose to use a lower-cost module like that in the iPod touch. This strategy would still allow Apple to check off "rear-facing camera" on the feature list while putting resources toward other hardware improvements, like increased RAM, improved display, or a next-generation processor.