Yahoo Messenger app update enables video calls from iPhone to desktop
Yahoo has updated its Messenger iPhone app to allow video calls from the iPhone to a computer, a feature that Apple has yet to release for its FaceTime standard.
The Yahoo Messenger 2.0 iPhone app update was released Monday, adding support for video calls, voice calls, and multitasking. Video calling on the free app is supported on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS and allow the user to initiate video chats to Yahoo Messenger users on other devices, including Macs or PCs.
Yahoo has enabled Messenger video calls on the iPhone to work over 3G, while recommending that video calls take place over Wi-Fi. By comparison, Apple's FaceTime currently works only on Wi-Fi, although Apple is working with cellular providers to allow the service over 3G.
Early user reviews of the new Yahoo Messenger app are mixed. Though the 2.0 version of the app has an average rating of 3 stars in the App Store, several users have reported problems with the video chat feature.
The update from Yahoo will challenge to Apple to roll out its FaceTime standard to even more devices. When Apple announced its FaceTime open standard for video chat alongside the iPhone 4, it promised that it would soon be available on tens of millions of devices. In September, a significant refresh of the iPod touch brought FaceTime to the device. The next-generation iPad is also expected to work with the video conferencing standard.
However, FaceTime is conspicuously absent on Windows PCs and Apple's Mac line of computers, most of which come with built-in webcams. in September, rumors arose that Apple had been working on building FaceTime compatibility into its iChat software.
The Yahoo Messenger 2.0 iPhone app update was released Monday, adding support for video calls, voice calls, and multitasking. Video calling on the free app is supported on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS and allow the user to initiate video chats to Yahoo Messenger users on other devices, including Macs or PCs.
Yahoo has enabled Messenger video calls on the iPhone to work over 3G, while recommending that video calls take place over Wi-Fi. By comparison, Apple's FaceTime currently works only on Wi-Fi, although Apple is working with cellular providers to allow the service over 3G.
Early user reviews of the new Yahoo Messenger app are mixed. Though the 2.0 version of the app has an average rating of 3 stars in the App Store, several users have reported problems with the video chat feature.
The update from Yahoo will challenge to Apple to roll out its FaceTime standard to even more devices. When Apple announced its FaceTime open standard for video chat alongside the iPhone 4, it promised that it would soon be available on tens of millions of devices. In September, a significant refresh of the iPod touch brought FaceTime to the device. The next-generation iPad is also expected to work with the video conferencing standard.
However, FaceTime is conspicuously absent on Windows PCs and Apple's Mac line of computers, most of which come with built-in webcams. in September, rumors arose that Apple had been working on building FaceTime compatibility into its iChat software.
Comments
I guess business is business.
How "not to do business" with Apple (only the largest tech company by market cap) and how to "marginalize" yourself, 2.0
"Yahoo" is living up to their namesake!
PS. Apple has only introduced the top 3 "game changing" devices of the last decade, iPod, iPhone and the iPad. Hello! What "yahoo's!"
Early user reviews of the new Yahoo Messenger app are mixed. Though the 2.0 version of the app has an average rating of 3 stars in the App Store, several users have reported problems with the video chat feature.
The update from Yahoo will challeng
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
If by "problems" one means that there is no sign of video chat working on the iPhone 4, then I guess yes, it has problems.
As far as I can tell it can't video chat from iPhone to desktop. Only iPhone 4 to iPhone 4, not even to iPod Touch 4G. It can however voice call from iPhone to desktop, just not video.
No sir; I got video chat working quite nicely from my 3GS to my webcam-equipped Windows XP PC. I tried it with Wi-Fi on as well as with Wi-Fi turned off on the 3GS: the call establishes within 10 to 15 seconds, no problem.
Very very slight latency, but the audio and video quality is good. Absence of FaceTime from 3GS (I'm holding out for a white iPhone 4) means I don't really have any other app to compare it to (can't get Fring working).
Also need to test it phone-to-phone, as well as over 3G as soon as a few friends upgrade their 3GS and iPhone 4.
Yahoo has stolen a significant march on Skype, Fring and TruPhone with this upgrade, good on them!
love it so far... hope it stays!
No sir; I got video chat working quite nicely from my 3GS to my webcam-equipped Windows XP PC.
Very very slight latency (over Wi-Fi) but the audio and video quality is good. Absence of FaceTime from 3GS (I'm holding out for a white iPhone 4) means I don't really have any other app to compare it to (can't get Fring working).
Also need to test it phone-to-phone, as well as over 3G as soon as a few friends upgrade their 3GS and iPhone 4.
Yahoo has stolen a significant march on Skype, Fring and TruPhone with this upgrade, good on them!
I now know why. My webcam is f'd up. I did successfully video chatted phone to phone. The quality is just so so..
...
Yahoo has enabled Messenger video calls on the iPhone to work over 3G, while recommending that video calls take place over Wi-Fi...
Recommending? Let's wait and see where treating users like intelligent adults will get them...
... However, FaceTime is conspicuously absent on Windows PCs and Apple's Mac line of computers...
Hmmm... I wonder why...
Yahoo's day as top dog is long gone and Apple is now in that position. It's sad that Apple didn't come out with this capability first. There's really no reason why FaceTime couldn't work with iChat. As it is now, FaceTime has such limited capability that it's almost useless. iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 over WiFi only? What's up with that? And thus the need for jailbreaking.
They might not have come out with it first cause they want to get it right. Apple is rarely the first to release something, but yet tends to be the first to get it just right and bring it to the masses. Although I am a bit surprised iPhone to Mac video chat wasn't available from the start and even more surprised the Yahoo app was approved.
Facetime is great, but as others have stated it's quite useless until it's available over 3G and more importantly between iPhone and computer. I actually think over wifi is even fine as long as one could video chat with someone on a Mac or PC. Till then it's pretty useless and just a novelty. I see them releasing it at least on Macs in the next month or so and releasing another ad showing it off.
Yahoo's day as top dog is long gone and Apple is now in that position. It's sad that Apple didn't come out with this capability first. There's really no reason why FaceTime couldn't work with iChat. As it is now, FaceTime has such limited capability that it's almost useless. iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 over WiFi only? What's up with that? And thus the need for jailbreaking.
Too right! I'm actually liking that Yahoo have done this though I thought they'd build it on the FaceTime standard. With this and Skype on TVs (when ATV should have had iChat years ago) Apple need to get their act together if FT is ever going to make it or it'll just be another 'hobby'.
McD
Works fine over computer and phone, but could use some improvements over video and voice quality. Looking forward for future updates. Using iphone 3gs btw.
After making successful video calls with my 3GS to and from my desktop PC, I actually tried video calling to and from my iPhone 3G and my PC Desktop - the 3G crashed out of the app repeatedly, so nae luck there. Voice calling works OK though, both via Wi-Fi and via 3G, but with slightly iffy voice quality...
Video calling in either direction phone-to-phone between my 3G and 3GS once again crashed the app on the iPhone 3G.
Curiously, the app menu on the 3G actually displays the option to make a video call and attempts to do so - the app should possibly be coded to grey this option out on the 3G (or to display an error message and wait for input) , unless Yahoo plans to enable it via some code voodoo in a future update. It certainly doesn't work right now, at least not for me...
And finally I tested voice calling phone-to-phone in both directions from my iPhone 3GS to and from my iPhone 3G, first with Wi-Fi then with 3G only: works OK, but again with slightly iffy voice quality.
After making successful video calls with my 3GS to and from my desktop PC, I actually tried video calling to and from my iPhone 3G and my PC Desktop - the 3G crashed out of the app repeatedly, so nae luck there. Voice calling works OK though, both via Wi-Fi and via 3G, but with slightly iffy voice quality...
Video calling in either direction phone-to-phone between my 3G and 3GS once again crashed the app on the iPhone 3G.
Curiously, the app menu on the 3G actually displays the option to make a video call and attempts to do so - the app should possibly be coded to grey this option out on the 3G (or to display an error message and wait for input) , unless Yahoo plans to enable it via some code voodoo in a future update. It certainly doesn't work right now, at least not for me...
And finally I tested voice calling phone-to-phone in both directions from my iPhone 3GS to and from my iPhone 3G, first with Wi-Fi then with 3G only: works OK, but again with slightly iffy voice quality.
The reason that others are reporting that the phone to PC video chat function doesn't work is that IT ONLY WORKS WITH WINDOWS!!!!! WTF!?
Also, the function is inexplicably, completely unsupported on the iPod Touch 4G.
Yahoo=FAIL.
1- why in this freaking world Apple hasn't released iChat with Facetime support?
2- why they didn't release Facetime as iChat for iPhone?
...the call establishes within 10 to 15 seconds, no problem.
?With no problem? must be relative Good start, but I?ll hold out for iChat and near-instant connection. (I?d hold out for Skype video, but they?ve been notoriously slow to fix or add anything with their app.)
Recommending? Let's wait and see where treating users like intelligent adults will get them...
It?ll get them bad reviews complaints about poor quality over the cell network--poor enough that almost everyone will take the "recommendation!? And that?s even without the sheer volume of call data that built-in FaceTime app would generate!
(Note that if Apple made FaceTime?s WiFi requirement a mere ?recommendation??assuming AT&T would even allow it?then Apple would catch flak for ?lying? about 3G video support, and trolls would say Apple should just come out and admit that FaceTime doesn?t really work without WiFi, and should state that as a requirement.)
What I can't understand (as i do not understand a lot of things Apple does) is:
1- why in this freaking world Apple hasn't released iChat with Facetime support?
2- why they didn't release Facetime as iChat for iPhone?
1- Good question, but an answer exists! We just don’t know it—and I’m impatient for it too! I’m sure they’re working on it, or even have it done, and the delay may relate to some larger rollout that it will be a part of. Or maybe it’s done for Mac, yet they want to release for Windows at the same time, avoiding a tidal wave of “iPhone video is only for Mac users” reviews. In which case, will they release just a FaceTime client for Windows, or a full iChat app? Maybe they’re lining up other software partners who will all announce FaceTime support together? (That would avoid Apple having to make another program for Windows, at least.)
2- Because they created an open standard for anyone to use, and they want that standard to have mindshare and wide support, not be hidden behind the name of Apple’s proprietary iChat app. Imagine if they called BOTH the app AND the standard iChat, as you suggest. What happens when Skype (or AIM or Google Talk or whoever) adds support for it. iChat then becomes a bullet point in the feature list of Skype? Very confusing—you’re making iChat mean two different things, a specific feature (supported standard) and a full app that does many other things. Better to have Skype’s bullet point be “FaceTime,” and have FaceTime recognized as a feature of more and more devices and apps over time.
(Note that if Apple made FaceTime?s WiFi requirement a mere ?recommendation??assuming AT&T would even allow it?then Apple would catch flak for ?lying? about 3G video support, and trolls would say Apple should just come out and admit that FaceTime doesn?t really work without WiFi, and should state that as a requirement.)
It goes without saying that Apple has a much better understanding of Apple's user base than third parties, and treats it accordingly.