InformationWeek's Alexander Wolfe found the references to video chat and recording in the "Description of Embodiments" section of Apple's patent, which the U.S. Patent Office approved last month.

Specifically, the patent calls for such features as "video conferencing" and "digital videoing," and notes that an "optical sensor" (a.k.a., a video camera) could be "located on the front of the device so that the user's image may be obtained for videoconferencing while the user views the other video conference participants on the touch screen display," according to Wolfe's post (which also includes a couple of diagrams; click here to view).

More: