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Monday, June 07, 2010, 02:40 pm
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.
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Previous Comments View All
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas 
Looks nice, but sort of surprised it doesn't support iPhone to Mac chatting. That seemed like it would a no brainer.
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?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas
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.
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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sflocal
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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sflocal
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.
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.
Can I call my Polycom and Tandberg equipment? That would be nice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by tundraboy
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?
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.
This feature should usher in a new category of apps... can't wait!
And what about FaceTime conference calls? Will you get multiple video images of all involved?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas
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.
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...
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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.