iOS code suggests Apple could bring iChat to iPhones and iPads

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 32
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Maury Markowitz View Post


    +1



    Seriously, I don't understand why people would want an "all in one" chat client that does text and video (let alone MS's idiotic writing!). I don't text while I'm video chatting, and I don't video chat while I'm texting. Why would you?



    I want two apps, small ones that do one thing well.



    I think there's considerable functionality overlap such that splitting those into separate programs adds more bloat than it saves.
  • Reply 22 of 32
    wouldn't it be better to have an additional voice chat service that ties in with iMessage and FaceTime?



    kids with iPod touches could call one another, iPhone users could make calls over wifi to one another. Would make international calling very appealing!



    I know FaceTime does that already.. but to be honest, i'd really rather not have to look at my mug when making casual calls.
  • Reply 23 of 32
    ssquirrelssquirrel Posts: 1,196member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iandean View Post


    wouldn't it be better to have an additional voice chat service that ties in with iMessage and FaceTime?



    kids with iPod touches could call one another, iPhone users could make calls over wifi to one another. Would make international calling very appealing!



    I know FaceTime does that already.. but to be honest, i'd really rather not have to look at my mug when making casual calls.



    Call it iCommunicate? Voice chat, messaging to phones and all the various IM services, Facebook, etc. One app to rule them all



    Select a user, if more than one option for connecting them exists, it offers them all. So if Joe doesn't have Facetime capabilities or voice, it would automatically go to messaging. If Voice was available as well, you select between the 2. If they're on an iPhone all 3 would pop up. a computer w/a webcam and mic detected could go to all 3 as well.



    Alternately have 3 different tabs and the users who fit each option will appear in that, so you select which way you want to try and check in w/someone and it tells you if that is an option. Trying to figure out how to have all the options available and still be an elegant interface.
  • Reply 24 of 32
    There are some features on FaceTime that make it very different to video/audio iChat: it works more like a phone, it rings and you have the option to not answer it. Nobody would resent that, you are not available. It's "socially-correct" if you don't answer.

    On the other hand, iChat shows a status. People expect from you to answer their call if you're available. You're challenged to demonstrate your unavailability, hence the use of the status feature on IMs. But the "status" feature is not that easy to manage, even for more savvy people. It's not rare the occasion when it says "Available" but you are not and creates some discomfort.
  • Reply 25 of 32
    On OS X, iChat does text, voice and video. iOS now has native text and video, but aside from third party apps, voice remains with the carriers. That's the carriers' first and last stronghold before being demoted to nothing more than mobile ISPs. Apple has slowly taken the power from the carriers, and the pricing plans will reflect this as data becomes their one and only service. But until that happens, iChat will remain Mac-only. When iChat does reach iOS, perhaps with a new name, it will be introduced as the integration of text, video, and new to iPhone/iPad, voice. Gone will be the days of rollover minutes, as the carriers roll over for Apple.
  • Reply 26 of 32
    adonissmuadonissmu Posts: 1,776member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Maury Markowitz View Post


    +1



    Seriously, I don't understand why people would want an "all in one" chat client that does text and video (let alone MS's idiotic writing!). I don't text while I'm video chatting, and I don't video chat while I'm texting. Why would you?



    I send texts while I chat all of the time.
  • Reply 27 of 32
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by robogobo View Post


    On OS X, iChat does text, voice and video. iOS now has native text and video, but aside from third party apps, voice remains with the carriers. That's the carriers' first and last stronghold before being demoted to nothing more than mobile ISPs. Apple has slowly taken the power from the carriers, and the pricing plans will reflect this as data becomes their one and only service. But until that happens, iChat will remain Mac-only. When iChat does reach iOS, perhaps with a new name, it will be introduced as the integration of text, video, and new to iPhone/iPad, voice. Gone will be the days of rollover minutes, as the carriers roll over for Apple.



    +1



    I'm totally for this idea. But I think they should stick with the iChat name. It's simple & has a nice ring to it. If Apple does do what you describe they should release it for iOS devices, Mac & Windows & have it be a great competitor to Skype.
  • Reply 28 of 32
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Hear hear. iMessage and FaceTime integrated into a completely redesigned iChat (because the current design is so 2004 and doesn't lend itself as well to differentiating these accounts from different sources) and iChat accounts into Messages on iDevices. iCloud to sync all of them, even if you only have two computers with iChat installed and no iOS devices at all.



    I get confused as to the difference between all these thing to be honest! iChat and iMessage and FaceTime ... Seems to me there should be one app that works the same across all Apple products the same way and offers text, voice only or video and voice ... Kind of like Skype only from Apple?
  • Reply 28 of 32
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Maury Markowitz View Post


    +1



    Seriously, I don't understand why people would want an "all in one" chat client that does text and video (let alone MS's idiotic writing!). I don't text while I'm video chatting, and I don't video chat while I'm texting. Why would you?



    I want two apps, small ones that do one thing well.



    Of course there is the need for a third app, also small and doing one thing well: VOIP. Like iMessage, dialling another iPhone owner should be able to use GSM/Wi-FI instead of my minutes.



    Wouldn't it be simpler for users if there were a single, integrated messaging app (for iOS and Mac) that allowed you to toggle between text, video and voice? I'd like to be able to seamlessly switch between different modes of communication and use a single client for all.
  • Reply 30 of 32
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    Kind of like Skype only from Apple?



    Except people would want to update this app beyond version 2.8 because it wouldn't start being absolutely terrible thereafter.



    But, yes, exactly.
  • Reply 31 of 32
    lvidallvidal Posts: 158member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Andysol View Post


    I don't use iChat either... But I'm with everyone else. Drop iMessage. Drop FaceTime. Make it iChat. Save me the space.



    I'm with you, I do hope Apple simplifies all these things in iChat. I'm waiting for iChat since day 1.
  • Reply 32 of 32
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by j1h15233 View Post


    Just to echo what others have said, iMessage, iChat and Facetime should all be rolled into one app. To have three separate versions is just dumb.



    There really seems to have been an un-Apple like lack of vision here.
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