Apple announces open standard FaceTime video chat for iPhone 4
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs announced his trademark "one more thing" on Monday by making a video call to the company's designer Jony Ive through a service called FaceTime, which Apple aims to make an open industry standard.
Jobs sat down and made a call to Ive through the new iPhone. His own picture showed up in a small box in the corner, while Ive took up the rest of the screen.
FaceTime requires Wi-Fi to operate, and works between iPhone 4 handsets. Jobs said that Apple needs to "work a bit" with the cellular providers.
The company said it plans to make FaceTime an open industry standard, potentially allowing communication with other devices.
No setup is required, and the feature can be enabled while on a call with someone. Either the front or rear camera can be used with FaceTime.
Apple showed a new commercial for the phone, which shows off possibilities with the video chat function. One demonstration had people speaking with one another via sign language.
Jobs sat down and made a call to Ive through the new iPhone. His own picture showed up in a small box in the corner, while Ive took up the rest of the screen.
FaceTime requires Wi-Fi to operate, and works between iPhone 4 handsets. Jobs said that Apple needs to "work a bit" with the cellular providers.
The company said it plans to make FaceTime an open industry standard, potentially allowing communication with other devices.
No setup is required, and the feature can be enabled while on a call with someone. Either the front or rear camera can be used with FaceTime.
Apple showed a new commercial for the phone, which shows off possibilities with the video chat function. One demonstration had people speaking with one another via sign language.
Comments
Looks nice, but sort of surprised it doesn't support iPhone to Mac chatting. That seemed like it would a no brainer.
It'll come, it'll come. Probably easier to put Facetime on OS-X rather than iChat Video on iOS 4. Question is, will it happen in 10.6 or 10.7?
Looks nice, but sort of surprised it doesn't support iPhone to Mac chatting. That seemed like it would a no brainer. Wifi only is disappointing but is understandable when they have to use AT&T as the standard against which to set the bar for network capability.
Unless I missed something during the keynote, what makes you think it won't support iChat? I would think that it would.
Unless I missed something during the keynote, what makes you think it won't support iChat? I would think that it would.
They specifically stated it was iPhone 4 to iPhone 4. I see nothing that would prevent them from using the technology in iChat for this, but so far it's not mentioned, which I think means it's just not ready at this point for connecting to PCs. Perhaps they want to do it through MobileMe to utilize Wide-Area Bonjour that is found in Back to My Mac for zero config connections. They might also want it to go live on Windows at the same time.
Unless I missed something during the keynote, what makes you think it won't support iChat? I would think that it would.
You are right they didn't mention it. They did say it would be iPhone 4 to iPhone 4. I hope it will work with iChatAV on the Mac.
At the very least, the open sourced it, so as long as the approve apps that are based on it and the standard they are using is compatible with iChat AV, then I imagine someone will release a third party app to address it...or a Mac app that goes the other way.
It'll come, it'll come. Probably easier to put Facetime on OS-X rather than iChat Video on iOS 4. Question is, will it happen in 10.6 or 10.7?
I hope so. One of the things I was looking forward to most was this feature, as I hoped it would allow me to video chat with my kids at home. They are 30 months and 11 months, so they interact much better when it is video than just a phone call.
Other than iAd, the rest of the 8/9 feature were pretty aswesome.
Looks nice, but sort of surprised it doesn't support iPhone to Mac chatting. That seemed like it would a no brainer. Wifi only is disappointing but is understandable when they have to use AT&T as the standard against which to set the bar for network capability.
You're right--it seems odd. I imagine there will be an update to iChat to bring it in line with this new "standard," FaceTime.
In terms of WiFi only, I imagine it is not just AT&T, but networks around the world thar must be prepared.
I still have my doubts as to the usefullness if this feature, but I imagine the load on the networks as everyone tries it out for the first few months would be enoumous! This way, maybe people can get their yayas out on WiFi and then they will open it up when the load dies down...
Looks nice, but sort of surprised it doesn't support iPhone to Mac chatting. That seemed like it would a no brainer. Wifi only is disappointing but is understandable when they have to use AT&T as the standard against which to set the bar for network capability.
Also this removed one of the 'suspected' reasons for AT&T to drop the Unlimited 3G (it never was 'really' unlimited according to the fine print) so ... AT&T what exactly are the reasons to:
- Drop the unlimited iPad plans
- Drop the unlimited iPhone plans
I realize that with any service that has a HARD/FIXED quantity, the more people use it the worse off it will be.. Splitting a 2LTR bottle of water between 8 people is fine but spit it between 80 is all but impossible.
So, AT&T (and others) claim that a very large majority of its data using subscribers are well under the 2GB cap then what impact could their changes actually have over the data being used and what is their cost justification of $20 per month for tethering when it offers you ZERO GB of 'extra' tethering data usage? That move would be not unlike the cable companies charging you and added fee when house guests are viewing their cable tv stations. Something I wouldn't put past em and expect future cable boxes to have front facing cameras so they can really pull it off. (kidding.... well sorta)
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/i...irst-hands-on/
looks awesome
Oh yeah, also they show some pictures of the screen, and Jobs was right, it looks great.
This feature should usher in a new category of apps... can't wait!
Yes new apps, and a new masturbatorial aid.
And what about FaceTime conference calls? Will you get multiple video images of all involved?
that would be cool. They could make it so each person has equal screen space, or you could "minimize" everyone and focus on a single person (like if someone was giving a presentation to a group at work.)
IT'S THE FUTURE, MAN
Yes new apps, and a new masturbatorial aid.
Bahaahahaah.
Steve-o know's not what he has brought forth. Or maybe he does?!
Bahaahahaah.
The whole event was kind of a let down. We knew most everything from leaks. In fact so many rumors did not come true it had a double negative effect of having knowing so much from leaks and so many rumors being squashed.
Safari 5?
Verizon?
iPad Printing?
Free MobileME?
Mac Pro update?
Mini Update?
Anything Mac/OS X update?
new Apple TV update?
Fizzle...........
Also this removed one of the 'suspected' reasons for AT&T to drop the Unlimited 3G (it never was 'really' unlimited according to the fine print) so ... AT&T what exactly are the reasons to:
- Drop the unlimited iPad plans
- Drop the unlimited iPhone plans
I realize that with any service that has a HARD/FIXED quantity, the more people use it the worse off it will be.. Splitting a 2LTR bottle of water between 8 people is fine but spit it between 80 is all but impossible.
So, AT&T (and others) claim that a very large majority of its data using subscribers are well under the 2GB cap then what impact could their changes actually have over the data being used and what is their cost justification of $20 per month for tethering when it offers you ZERO GB of 'extra' tethering data usage? That move would be not unlike the cable companies charging you and added fee when house guests are viewing their cable tv stations. Something I wouldn't put past em and expect future cable boxes to have front facing cameras so they can really pull it off. (kidding.... well sorta)
I would not be surprised to see AT&T roll out new plans some day that limited your 'included' MBs to certain times of time, identically to their daytime/evening minutes for voice and charging you more for 'daytime' data. They could use the identical justification they have used for tethering. What wouldn't surprise me are the people that would accept their explanation as reasonable.
The fact you need two iPhone 4.0 kind of kills the buzz pretty quick.
The whole event was kind of a let down. We knew most everything from leaks. In fact so many rumors did not come true it had a double negative effect of having knowing so much from leaks and so many rumors being squashed.
Safari 5?
Verizon?
iPad Printing?
Free MobileME?
Mac Pro update?
Mini Update?
Anything Mac/OS X update?
new Apple TV update?
Fizzle...........
We still have a week don't we?
The fact you need two iPhone 4.0 kind of kills the buzz pretty quick.
They aren't trying to hog it up as a proprietary "iphone only" feature. They're making it an "open standard." I think Apple knew that for this to catch on, it's gotta be compatible with phones other than the iphone.
Should be interesting to see how Android developers pick this up.
I think it's a fine feature to create buzz but it's not something people seem to really want - just to brag that it can do.