You mean the phones that are about 4x as thick from screen to (protruding) camera over the macbook screen. If they could do it, they would have done it. Its not a conspiracy. If they could fit a better performing webcam into the thickness of the screen why wouldn't they? I assume the only reason they haven't is because they don't want to make the screen thicker to accomodate it. I assume that to make a considerably better camera would require a compromise on screen thickness that they don't think is a good tradeoff.
Apple are using the same 1.2MP eyesight camera from 2012. You can get OEM replacements for £8 off ebay. I don't believe it's not possible for the one of the richest and most technologically advanced companies to improve it in 8 odd years if they really wanted to.
They're obviously aware it's not good enough, otherwise they wouldn't have spouted that rubbish about improving it's quality with software in the keynote.
I'm sure everyone saying it's not possible because of the lid thickness will also be blown away when they finally magic out an upgrade in the next revision a year down the road because they've waited as long as possible without doing a revision
It woudn't surprise me if they could do it now, but they're just holding it back for an next years upgrade, a long with potentially better screens with smaller bezels etc.
The M1 is a big enough upgrade in itself that these will fly off the shelves, so not point giving us too many upgrades all at once, that would just spoil us
"We've not bothered to upgrade our cameras yet again this year, they're not great, but perfectly fine. Anyway, it's in your best interest for you face to look a bit blurry on those business calls, no one really wants to look at that ugly mug"
- Tim Cook
