New iPhone will have video chat

[zerocool84]

Well this can't be tremendously surprising. Apparently American Beauty director Sam Mendes is in the process of putting together a series of commercials for Apple's next iPhone, which according to a tipster is being referred to internally as the Mammoth / N90. Besides that tip (with a handful of juicy details), a trusted source has confirmed to us that the ads will feature at least one spot where a mother and daughter are having a video chat conversation using the new front-facing camera that's been spied on the face of that iPhone floating around Vietnam and Northern California. Adding weight to this story, a cursory search on Twitter revealed that there's at least one actress who is up for a role in the "f***ing apple commercial" in New York, and another fellow who is auditioning for spots in California. We don't know much more than that, but we're fairly confident that this confirms video chat is coming to the next iPhone, and that that said iPhone isn't very far from our grasp. Remember folks, June 7th is just a kiss away.

Video chat for new iPhone which is great. We need more phones with video chat (Evo 4G the other other big phone out there with it) but my question is if AT&T's 3G network can even handle video chat reliably? We know they have problems already with the way it is and if adding video chat onto their already congested 3G network would be wise. Obviously we know about the Evo 4G has video chat but the only reviews we have on the phone are without the video chat but it's on a 4G network with more bandwidth and less customers than AT&T. I hope this doesn't give AT&T a reason to change their pricing structure again for internet usage but anywho the more phones with video chat is awesome to me.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/confirmed-apples-next-iphone-will-have-video-chat-feature-to/

 

[TheWart]

Hopefully it will spur ATT to follow through or even, gasp, speed up their network upgrade plan.

As someone who uses video chat to stay in touch with my family and my gf when away, I am excited to try it out on the phone but dubious how crucial of a feature it will end up being. Who knows though, maybe it will be super cool.

 

[jpeyton]

AT&T, whose network can't even handle voice communication reliably (ranking dead last by a long-shot in dropped calls); whose network doesn't even have the capability of officially enabling iPhone data tethering; will now try to provide video chat?

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I'm betting anyone using their iPhone 4G for video-chat on the go will have a HTC EVO 4G serving a mobile hot spot for them.

I guess now we know why Apple didn't put a $5 front-facing webcam into their $500 iPad; the network couldn't handle it.

 

[Bateluer]

It wouldn't surprise me if video chat was only enabled when connected to WiFi.

 

[simonizor]

Who the fuck cares about video chat? We've had video phones around for ages and they failed to take off. Why? Because no one gives a flying fuck about seeing the person on the other end of the line 99% of the time. The other 1% of the time would be chatting with someone that you haven't seen in a long time, and the odds of them having an iPhone to video chat with you are slim to none. Useless feature.

 

[theeedude]

That's rational thinking. The iPhone fanboi thinking is if Steve Jobs says it's time to start video chatting, well by God, it's time to start video chatting

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Who the fuck cares about video chat? We've had video phones around for ages and they failed to take off. Why? Because no one gives a flying fuck about seeing the person on the other end of the line 99% of the time. The other 1% of the time would be chatting with someone that you haven't seen in a long time, and the odds of them having an iPhone to video chat with you are slim to none. Useless feature.

Uhh the carriers fail to support it. Front facing cameras were all the rage on Nokia smartphones and even SE dumbphones. You don't see them sold in the US and the front facing camera was never a feature people carried about here. It's just that the US carriers never bothered to introduce it. It's widely used in the rest of the world....

I find this rumor nice but somewhat unlikely in my books. It's as if they're gonna make you do this over wifi cuz you can't video call anyway. As for Skype, I don't see Apple opening up to Skype video calls and letting you drain away battery like MAD.

 

[boomhower]

Uhh the carriers fail to support it. Front facing cameras were all the rage on Nokia smartphones and even SE dumbphones. You don't see them sold in the US and the front facing camera was never a feature people carried about here. It's just that the US carriers never bothered to introduce it. It's widely used in the rest of the world....

I find this rumor nice but somewhat unlikely in my books. It's as if they're gonna make you do this over wifi cuz you can't video call anyway. As for Skype, I don't see Apple opening up to Skype video calls and letting you drain away battery like MAD.

Right on the money. For video calling to take off they are going to have to allow skype. This doesn't just go with Apple and AT&T, the same goes for Sprint and the EVO. Just because I have an EVO capable of video calling doesn't mean jack because it just uses qik. I need it to be able to call my wife on her notebook for it to mean a darn thing. Sure Apple will have a much larger install base and it will be much more likely you will call another iphone user, but still, it's largely useless.

Of course AT&T's network can't handle it and it's going to be wifi only.

 

[sjwaste]

The nice thing about Android is that it's only a matter of time before someone gets Skype working on it and you can do exactly what you just described. I'm sure someone will figure it out with a jailbroken iPhone too.

 

[simonizor]

The nice thing about Android is that it's only a matter of time before someone gets Skype working on it and you can do exactly what you just described. I'm sure someone will figure it out with a jailbroken iPhone too.

You already can. You should just be able to download the jailbroken app that makes the phone allow you to use apps that are normally limited to wifi use only on your regular 3G cellphone connection. I only have a jailbroken touch so I don't know how this works, but I've seen the app and read the description

 

[zoiks]

So basically the party at each end gets a good view of each other's ear wax.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You already can. You should just be able to download the jailbroken app that makes the phone allow you to use apps that are normally limited to wifi use only on your regular 3G cellphone connection. I only have a jailbroken touch so I don't know how this works, but I've seen the app and read the description

What app lets you video call on Skype on Android? Fring already lets you make video calls on Nokia's old N-Series phones that had front facing cameras. It's all possible, but it will drain battery like mad on an Android/iPhone device. Plus it must invoke Wifi. Wifi ties you down (how ironic... we used to think ethernet cables tie us down, but it's now Wifi when compared to cellular networks), so the usefulness really drops a ton. And even if they allow us to go on a cellular network with this, you think AT&T or for that matter ANY carrier can handle this amount of bandwidth?

Dunno. Perhaps this is a new iPhone feature, and if they include a front facing camera, somehow I suspect it's more geared for the rest of the world that has HAD front facing camera phones for a long time. But usually the iPhone is geared for the US first, so we'll see how this will work.

Knowing Apple it might be a very restrictive featureset.

 

[Raduque]

Video chat. Why?

 

[theeedude]

Video chat. Why?

Apple running out of material and jumping the shark on iPhone.
Excitement is all on the Android side now.

 

[TheWart]

Apple running out of material and jumping the shark on iPhone.
Excitement is all on the Android side now.

lol

Even considering your past posts, this one is one of the most idiotic I have seen you produce.

You mean to tell me that if Apple doesn't include video chat that you (and many others) won't be repeating ad nauseum "ooohhh, the EVO has a front facing camera but the iphone doesnt...burn!!"

Some people will find the camera useful. I am excited to try it out....but if you don't need it, that's great for you too. I love how adding a feature is 'jumping the shark.' I think anti-apple trollers have jumped the shark.

 

[JS80]

It's gonna be harder for spouses to lie about where they are

 

[zerocool84]

lol

Even considering your past posts, this one is one of the most idiotic I have seen you produce.

You mean to tell me that if Apple doesn't include video chat that you (and many others) won't be repeating ad nauseum "ooohhh, the EVO has a front facing camera but the iphone doesnt...burn!!"

Some people will find the camera useful. I am excited to try it out....but if you don't need it, that's great for you too. I love how adding a feature is 'jumping the shark.' I think anti-apple trollers have jumped the shark.

You know I'm anti-apple but I want video chat and have wanted it for a long time. More phones with video chat is great. I can't wait until it's the norm.

 

[theeedude]

lol

Even considering your past posts, this one is one of the most idiotic I have seen you produce.

You mean to tell me that if Apple doesn't include video chat that you (and many others) won't be repeating ad nauseum "ooohhh, the EVO has a front facing camera but the iphone doesnt...burn!!"

Some people will find the camera useful. I am excited to try it out....but if you don't need it, that's great for you too. I love how adding a feature is 'jumping the shark.' I think anti-apple trollers have jumped the shark.

You are free to think whatever you want. Either way, it's not a differentiating feature if everyone has it. What could differentiate it is what's the software behind this video chat. If it's skype or google talk, it may be marginally useful for video chatting with relatives that one currently does on PC. If it's only for chatting with other Apple device users, then it's pretty much useless junk.

 

[hanoverphist]

You know I'm anti-apple but I want video chat and have wanted it for a long time. More phones with video chat is great. I can't wait until it's the norm.

i can wait... if im going to do a video conference ill be stationary anyway, may as well grab the laptop and set it on a table, so i can be comfy. if its for talking to distant family, same thing. on a table goes the laptop, that way i can see them better, and they wont get sea sick from me moving the phone around.

i cant really think of one instance where i would or could use a video chat realistically, beyond the "hey dude, im on video chat on my phone! yes, on my phone!"

 

[Raduque]

i can wait... if im going to do a video conference ill be stationary anyway, may as well grab the laptop and set it on a table, so i can be comfy. if its for talking to distant family, same thing. on a table goes the laptop, that way i can see them better, and they wont get sea sick from me moving the phone around.

i cant really think of one instance where i would or could use a video chat realistically, beyond the "hey dude, im on video chat on my phone! yes, on my phone!"

Yea, I just don't get the hype for video chat. It's not a killer app in any way, it's not interesting, it's not even desirable. At least, I can't see how it's either of these things. Have you ever tried walking in a straight line while texting?

 

[Anubis]

for those asking about skype and android VZ sent out an email yesterday about some skype junk, will run on the droid.

http://phones.verizonwireless.com/skypemobile/

not sure is thats new or old news but its there. however i don't think any VZ phones currently have a front facing camera

 

[Rottie]

it is about time that an iphone 4g with videochat because we deaf people are going to need it with relay operator for making phone call

 

[corkyg]

Video chat? What a waste of time and bandwidth.

 

[Rottie]

what a waste of time?

 

[Rackmountsales]

Well that's an good idea and something insteresting to have an video chat, the iphone becomes more smart and have good look,thanks for this list.