Apple adds FaceTime video chat support to the Mac

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Apple on Wednesday announced a FaceTime application for Mac OS X, allowing Mac users to engage in video chat conversations with one another, as well as owners of the iPhone 4 and iPod touch.



Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said that Apple, to date, has shipped more than 19 million FaceTime devices. The video chat feature was previously available for the iPhone and iPod touch.



FaceTime functionality is available today via apple.com in a beta release. Jobs said the addition of the Mac will bring tens of millions of new users to the open video chat standard.



"I think people are going to like this based on the requests we've gotten," Jobs said.



Featuring an easy to use interface, FaceTime for Mac automatically uses your Address Book contacts so there?s no need to create special buddy lists, and it works seamlessly with the built-in camera and mic on Mac notebooks, iMac and Apple LED Cinema Displays.







"FaceTime makes video calling to or from mobile devices easy for the first time," Jobs said in a press release. "We?ve sold more than 19 million FaceTime-ready iPhone 4 and iPod touch devices in the past four months, and now those users can make FaceTime calls with tens of millions of Mac users."



FaceTime requires Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and can be set up using an Apple ID. The public beta is available at www.apple.com/mac/facetime.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 86
    anakin1992anakin1992 Posts: 283member
    me like it...
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  • Reply 2 of 86
    ruckerzruckerz Posts: 58member
    This is great news...
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  • Reply 3 of 86
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    1) I wish the open specs for FaceTime would finally drop.



    2) I assume it'll be a separate app for pre-Lion iChat but included in iChat for Lion.



    3) Note: Jobs did state "mobile devices" which he previously used to refer to all Mac notebooks and iDevices at a previous event so there is no need to point out that 3GSM cellphones have had video chat as an option for years.
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  • Reply 4 of 86
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    1)



    2) I assume it'll be a separate app for pre-Lion iChat but included in iChat for Lion.



    i would hope so as well (that it is merely part of ichat in Lion). heck i'm waiting for some twitter support in ichat, iphoto etc.
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  • Reply 5 of 86
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member
    Hope Windows version will not be too far behind.
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  • Reply 6 of 86
    estolinskiestolinski Posts: 140member
    Beta available now, downloading... 452MB
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 86
    estolinskiestolinski Posts: 140member
    It's called "iWork09Trial.dmg" ?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 86
    plusplus Posts: 54member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    FaceTime functionality is available today via apple.com in a beta release. Jobs said the addition of the Mac will bring tens of millions of new users to the open video chat standard.



    Anyone see it yet?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 86
    libertyforalllibertyforall Posts: 1,418member
    Yea, what's up with that?! How odd. Also odd that FaceTime is a SEPARATE APP, not iChat integrated...



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by estolinski View Post


    It's called "iWork09Trial.dmg" ?



     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 86
    mandricardmandricard Posts: 486member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by plus View Post


    Anyone see it yet?





    Not I.... anyone have a link?
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  • Reply 11 of 86
    estolinskiestolinski Posts: 140member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mandricard View Post


    Not I.... anyone have a link?



    http://www.apple.com/mac/facetime/
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  • Reply 12 of 86
    rolivier79rolivier79 Posts: 3member
    http://www.apple.com/mac/facetime/



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mandricard View Post


    Not I.... anyone have a link?



     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 86
    kevinnealkevinneal Posts: 66member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by libertyforall View Post


    Yea, what's up with that?! How odd. Also odd that FaceTime is a SEPARATE APP, not iChat integrated...



    here's the link



    https://swdlp.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebO...b6cbbBeUZ0/2.5
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 86
    just_a_guyjust_a_guy Posts: 49member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by estolinski View Post


    http://www.apple.com/mac/facetime/



    I think that this will allow many people to make free calls to other people I love the idea.
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  • Reply 15 of 86
    mandricardmandricard Posts: 486member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by just_a_guy View Post


    I think that this will allow many people to make free calls to other people I love the idea.



    http://appldnld.apple.com/FaceTime/0...5/FaceTime.dmg



    Whoops... someone beat me to it?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 16 of 86
    estolinskiestolinski Posts: 140member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by estolinski View Post


    http://www.apple.com/mac/facetime/



    OK? That was a bad link I posted, seems that now the correct link is up on the Apple store.
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  • Reply 17 of 86
    estolinskiestolinski Posts: 140member
    Just Face Time'd my phone from my Mac. Works well. Forgot how ugly I am!
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  • Reply 18 of 86
    flash_beezyflash_beezy Posts: 239member
    Why is the file called iWork09 trial????



    I already have iwork09...
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 19 of 86
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Now if they'd just lift the silly wifi-only restriction, we are all set. I know it is at the request of the carriers (AT&T) but I wish they would just open. Just like VOIP over 3G, it wasn't the end of the world that AT&T was worried about.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 20 of 86
    estolinskiestolinski Posts: 140member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by estolinski View Post


    http://www.apple.com/mac/facetime/



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Flash_beezy View Post


    Why is the file called iWork09 trial????



    I already have iwork09...



    That's a bad link, Apple has now fixed it. Use https://swdlp.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebO...b6cbbBeUZ0/2.5
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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