With iOS 7, Apple will introduce FaceTime Audio, a first-party voice over IP extension of the company's video calling service that could disrupt the mobile industry by bringing free long distance and international calling to iPhone users around the world.
AT&T has announced that all mobile video chat applications, including Apple's FaceTime, will work over its cellular network by the end of this year.
Google on Wednesday expanded its cross-platform service offerings with a revamped version of Hangouts, now a standalone application for iOS and Android with a focus on video and text conversations within groups.
Following a $368 million judgment against Apple in a patent infringement case, the iPhone maker will make changes to VPN behavior in iOS 6.1.
In a surprising move on Tuesday, second-largest U.S. wireless carrier AT&T quietly activated Apple's FaceTime over cellular for all subscribers, including grandfathered-in unlimited data users.
Users are reporting that iMessage and FaceTime are experiencing outages across the U.S., the second time in a week that services attached to Apple's iCloud are seeing issues.
AT&T announced on Thursday that it will enable FaceTime video calls for iPhone 5 users with any AT&T Mobile Share plan, expanding it beyond customers with its new shared data plans.
For the second time in four days, Apple's iMessage and FaceTime services are down for many users in a number of areas, with North America seeming to be the hardest hit.
A trio of digital rights advocacy groups have indicated to AT&T they will file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission over the carrier's decision to block FaceTime calls over cellular data networks for some customers.
Following the debut of Apple's iPhone 5 on Wednesday, Verizon wireless announced that it will allow all iPhone 5 data plan subscribers to use iOS 6's FaceTime over cellular, countering rival carrier AT&T's plan which limits the feature to the company's Mobile Share data plans.
AT&T on Wednesday published a public letter defending its decision to block FaceTime calls over 3G for customers who have not switched to its new shared data plans, arguing that its policy is in compliance with the FCC's net neutrality rules, because AT&T does not offer its own competing preloaded video chat application.
AT&T on Friday announced it will be limiting FaceTime over 3G and 4G networks to iPhone users who sign up for the carrier's upcoming Mobile Share plans, which are slated to launch later this month.
Almost two years after Apple introduced FaceTime, Google and Microsoft are battling to introduce their own video chat acquisitions as new Internet web standards, while FaceTime remains proprietary to Apple.
While AT&T hasn't confirmed or denied whether it will be charging for the upcoming FaceTime over cellular iOS feature, Sprint says it will offer the service for free when the next-gen mobile OS launches this fall.
AT&T Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson on Tuesday responded to rumors claiming the telecom would charge a data fee for customers using Apple's upcoming over-the-air FaceTime feature on its network.
Apple is investigating technology for its iPhone and other communication devices that could notify other users of preferred methods of communication based on their current network status and relative signal strength.
Another new feature coming in iOS 6 will be limited to devices running Apple's custom A5 chip or later, as FaceTime over 3G will only be capable on the iPhone 4S or third-generation iPad.
Warnings contained in the latest version of iOS suggest that Apple plans to bring support for 3G wireless data connections to its FaceTime video chat feature.
A new report has confirmed that Apple's third-generation iPad will not be allowed to make FaceTime calls on an LTE network.
Facebook announced on Wednesday that it is partnering with Skype to bring video calling to the social networking service, a feature that will compete with Apple's own FaceTime.
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Mikey Campbell
Kevin Bostic
AppleInsider Staff
Sam Oliver
Katie Marsal
Daniel Eran Dilger
Josh Ong
