With the introduction of FaceTime, the longstanding rumors of an iPod Touch, and more recently, iPad, with a camera have gained even more steam. Boy Genius Report has received a tip from one of their "reliable Apple sources" detailing just how FaceTime calling will work with future iPod Touches and iPads. Since those devices don't have a phone number to dial like iPhones do, BGR's tipster says that it will instead be based on email addresses. Users can simply register an email address with their iPad or iPod Touch and use that to initiate FaceTime calls. When receiving a FaceTime request, the device will also receive a push notification so users can easily answer or decline the call. It's unclear how this would work for iPod Touch/iPad-to-iPhone FaceTime since the iPhone version still requires a phone number, but BGR believes that the email system will be added to the iPhone at some point, as well.
We've heard rumors of a camera-toting iPod Touch in the past, but with the introduction of FaceTime, now seems like the best time to introduce an iPod Touch/iPad with a camera. Considering not everyone owns or wants to own an iPhone 4, adding the functionality to other iDevices will help drive adoption of the FaceTime standard and get other platforms involved. iPod Touches are usually refreshed in or around September, so we'll find out in the coming months just how much truth there is to these rumors.