4GB iPhone with Video iChat?

[rtdunham]

...And for Americans who don't know anything...

whoaa, now you're talking to ALL of us south of the border?

Originally Posted by byke: This iChat rumor's been going round since the last edition ..... While I would love to see it, I cant imagine it would happen at present based on cost & development. Maybe in 2 year .........

Originally Posted by samac92: video chat is not a new invention, in the rest of the world mobile phones with video chat features have been around for years! also people on here are reporting that even in the US they have had video chat on their mobiles.

Would someone please post here a list of phones available or announced for release in the next couple of months a) in the U.S. and b) elsewhere that offer video conferencing? That might improve the perspective in this thread. Thanks.

 

[LAS.mac]

erm hello? video chat is not a new invention, in the rest of the world mobile phones with video chat features have been around for years! also people on here are reporting that even in the US they have had video chat on their mobiles.

I've been using video chat since 2005 on a crappy Samsung phone in Italy, using the carrier 3. Vodafone, as well as TIM, also have that functionality available since 4 years ago. Nothing new. It works quite well, actually, at least in big areas with good network covering. I recall that the service was at that time time quite expensive, something as 40-50 cents per minute. However, I don't recall it was particularly battery sucking...

 

[Stately]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7A312g Safari/528.16)

I kid you not. Every deaf and hard of hearing person in America will buy this solely for the video conferencing feature to see each other signing. Do you all know that there are an estimated 32+ million people in America with hearing loss. This equals mega bucks for Apple and AT&T!

Yes . . Exactly.

 

[Donz0r]

You've already posted your thoughts on the matter, why do you insist on beating people over the head with your opinions? Get lost.

I was in no way trying to insult the person, I just think this rumor doesn't add up, chill out man.

 

[Stately]

I doubt it. I feel bad for AT&T's data network, if this is true.

You feel bad. . for AT&T? Lol somehow, feeling bad and AT&T just don't quite seem to sound right together in the reverse. How about starting off . . you feel bad "because" AT&T and then follow up with something liiike. . gypped me lol.

 

[barton11]

If you go to www.tatskinz.com, they show their iphone 3G and ipod touch skinz with the appropriate holes for video conferencing.

 

[Unspoken Demise]

If you go to www.tatskinz.com, they show their iphone 3G and ipod touch skinz with the appropriate holes for video conferencing.

Thats for sensors.

 

[applecultvictim]

Thats for sensors.

No, that's for sensors.

And for those who want a super lol more adult oriented laugh (nothing too bad dont worry) that's surely for the censors you can go there:
http://cs-willy.com/overlooked/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/TheMainDifferenceBetweenEuropeAndUSA.jpg

 

[casik]

fido???
just that name means fake....

You obviously don't know much about cell phone companies if you are Canadian... or if you are American I won't even go there.

Fido is a company in Canada.

Don't forget that you to compare prices and term lengths is redundant because of the exchange rate.

Currently Canada (Rogers and Fido) have the 8GB and 16GB available for $199 and $299 respectively on THREE year plans. AT&T has the same phones for the same prices on two year plans. Obviously if this photo add is correct the phone will be $99 in Canada on a 3 year and $99 in the states on a two year.

I wouldn't be half surprised if Fido had gotten the instructions that in all their add mockups that they had to say it was 4gb and use the old phone images as place holders so that just in case it was leaked that there wouldn't be a problem. Can you imagine if a 8gb $99 iphone add mockup was released? Not a lot of people would continue to buy the current 8gb model. I wouldn't be surprised if apple still did the 8gb for $99, the 16GB for $199 and the 32gb for $299.

Those are my thoughts.

 

[NinjaHERO]

Video chat is a neat idea in theory, and on the computer it works fine. But I really don't see myself holding my phone in front of my face to talk. Until they put the camera on the end of a bluetooth headset boom or something, not for me.

But I hope it happens for all of you that want it on your phone.

 

[noshjewman]

video calling

Sensible question from someone about how many phones out there CAN do video calling (as I recall, here in the UK the answer is 'lots').

I took a quick look at the Orange UK website, which is a bit crap, but saw that video calling is such an unimpressive feature, that they don't even mention it on their phones. But the top end Nokias (N95, N96, 5800) all do it, as do many Sony Ericssons (W705, W850 - which is over 2 years old) and a bunch of Samsungs.

My mum's free phone 2 generations back had video calling.

The thing is - very few people use it, and it costs more than a regular call.

BUT, from thinking that it was a rubbish application a couple of years ago when it was rumoured on the first iPhone, I'd now like it a lot.

The problem with video calling at the moment is that it is pretty much only phone to phone, but if you could call using skype (though a few phones may have this option on 3), or more importantly your iChat contacts who could be at their computers, that would be terrific.
Catching up with people via ichat - preferably for free over wifi - when you are away from home and the computer can't do it for you? saying goodnight to your kids when you're still at work?

I think Apple could definitely make this a feature that works just as they made web browsing a feature that works. Not novel - but well implemented.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

As a matter of fact, when 3G took off in Sweden a couple of years ago, many of the early adopters were young people with hearing disabilities that finally got an easy way to communicate with their friends by sign language on the new video-capable cell phones. Using a simplified sign language with only one hand works fine and I have seen it used on cell phones several times, for example in commuter trains.

/Galex

Were they using cells with non-QWERTY keyboard? If so, I'm sure whatever modified sign language they invented was way faster than typing on non-QWERTY keyboard. But for deaf individuals who have data plan only iPhone and accustomed to texting on QWERTY keyboard, will they even bother versus hearing individuals who use video chat and don't have to change the way they talk?

 

[NightFox]

Sensible question from someone about how many phones out there CAN do video calling (as I recall, here in the UK the answer is 'lots').

I took a quick look at the Orange UK website, which is a bit crap, but saw that video calling is such an unimpressive feature, that they don't even mention it on their phones. But the top end Nokias (N95, N96, 5800) all do it, as do many Sony Ericssons (W705, W850 - which is over 2 years old) and a bunch of Samsungs.

My mum's free phone 2 generations back had video calling.

The thing is - very few people use it, and it costs more than a regular call.

BUT, from thinking that it was a rubbish application a couple of years ago when it was rumoured on the first iPhone, I'd now like it a lot.

The problem with video calling at the moment is that it is pretty much only phone to phone, but if you could call using skype (though a few phones may have this option on 3), or more importantly your iChat contacts who could be at their computers, that would be terrific.
Catching up with people via ichat - preferably for free over wifi - when you are away from home and the computer can't do it for you? saying goodnight to your kids when you're still at work?

I think Apple could definitely make this a feature that works just as they made web browsing a feature that works. Not novel - but well implemented.

I think an extension to this question should be - to those people who already have phones capable of video calls - once the original novelty wore off, how often do you actually use that function?

Mobile phone features can be split into two categories - stuff that works well and gets used, and useless tat that's just there to sell the phones and differentiate them from the others (WAP anyone?). Personally, I'm not convinced that video calls don't fall into the latter category.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Tangent...

FWIW: My wife was at the Apple Store and was looking at headphones/earbuds and was told by an Apple Store salesperson to not bother buying anything until after the 8th. She, not being up on the rumours asked why and the response was that 'Something wonderful is going to happen on Monday', she pressed further and the salesperson said that 'Apple was going to release the headphones that will exterminate all others'.

I can't wait. I love my Apple Bluetooth Borg implant but am worried how to replace is if it gets lost or broken. Monday will be an interesting day.

 

[The Phazer]

I think an extension to this question should be - to those people who already have phones capable of video calls - once the original novelty wore off, how often do you actually use that function?

Mobile phone features can be split into two categories - stuff that works well and gets used, and useless tat that's just there to sell the phones and differentiate them from the others (WAP anyone?). Personally, I'm not convinced that video calls don't fall into the latter category.

If iChat integration works though it could be a very different matter - lots of people like using webcams to talk online, and that sort of integration would be a bit of a game changer for video calls IMO.

Phazer

 

[leonstafford]

the salesperson said that 'Apple was going to release the headphones that will exterminate all others'...

OMG, has anyone else here seen/read iRobot??

it's happening!!

 

[NightFox]

FWIW: My wife was at the Apple Store and was looking at headphones/earbuds and was told by an Apple Store salesperson to not bother buying anything until after the 8th. She, not being up on the rumours asked why and the response was that 'Something wonderful is going to happen on Monday', she pressed further and the salesperson said that 'Apple was going to release the headphones that will exterminate all others'.

I can't wait. I love my Apple Bluetooth Borg implant but am worried how to replace is if it gets lost or broken. Monday will be an interesting day.

I thought that Apple went to great lengths to make sure that their shop floor staff knew nothing more than us to lessen the chance of inevitable leaks.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

I see all these great features etc. but Apple still needs to address one major issue... the iPhones battery is not that good.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

I thought that Apple went to great lengths to make sure that their shop floor staff knew nothing more than us to lessen the chance of inevitable leaks.

Apple store employee's know nothing. When the iPhone was launched I remember as a former employee all of us ran to the back and clamored at the chance to touch one. This was 4 hours before they launched.

 

[leonstafford]

OMG, has anyone else here seen/read iRobot??

it's happening!!

Wow, it must be true! Or, I have some PS skills to rival a 3 year old (no offence)

 

[cleric]

I'll but one if the plan doesn't cost $70 a month! Really, why is it that much? Data usage?

Pretty much the same as everyone else keep rockin the razr bro.

 

[nefster]

Not A Different Phone, A Different Plan!

I just don't get their thinking (AT&T, Apple). What I want as a cost-conscious customer is a lower cost plan, not a lower cost phone. Even at $99 I'm only saving about one or two months of the entire cost of the plan. If the phone could be used beyond a plan's life, say on another carrier, perhaps I could understand the value, but as it is there really is little difference between spending $99 up front to spending $199 or even $299 up front because of the overall expense of the contract.

Listen AT&T: Tiered data plans are what we need, not tiered, crippled iPhones!

 

[robothero]

For those of you who question the use of video chat for the hearing imparied, don't forget that just being able to see someone elses lips move is also extremely helpful.

 

[brodie]

Vidoe conferencing

I live in the UK and we have had 3G video conferencing for some years. I have only ever seen one person using it - a teenager, on a bus, it annoyed the hell out of everyone.

It has never caught on here for the simple reasons: people don't want to share their conversation (speakerphone) and it also renders you stationary, which is contrary to it's purpose.

I understand there is argument against, but the fact is, at least here, people don't hugely want to see each other when they are on the phone, and those that do have second thoughts about the implications (above reasons).

Maybe Apple will re-invent the concept, but I think it's a road pretty well trodden.

 

[applecultvictim]

@Iphone 4G

You meant to say Iphone 4Gb?