Does anyone even use video calling..?

[226896]

Whilst it would be neat to have a front facing camera... I can't say I've ever found a practical use for one. I've never seen anyone having a video call using their phone. It costs a years wages a minute, and how stupid would you look walking around a busy city centre holding an iPhone in front of your face. The only use I can think of is so MySpace whores find it easier to take photos of themselves.

I think Apple should skip the video calls crap and keep the speaker where it is now. Having it on the top bezel looks really, really nasty from an aesthetic point of view, and to be honest the video calls idea is just dumb.

Just my opinion...

 

[Brien]

Video calling seems something of a novelty, but people do use iChat's video chat features and I'm sure some people while find it handy.

 

[marold280]

i completely agree. I have NEVER used it on my phone.

But it is apple. and they will make it amazing somehow

 

[Hot Snowboarder]

I'd use it if the people i called had video phones. but they don't. so it's pointless.

 

[na1577]

I think the reason why you don't see it often is because it's not very common, at least in the US. Most phones here (where Apple is based) don't have a front-facing camera, which is why it doesn't immediately make sense for Apple to make one. But if Apple were to add one to a future generation, it would likely popularize the feature, increasing the pressure on other handset manufacturers to add the feature.

 

[xUKHCx]

3 years back when I had a phone capable of video calls I did use them from time to time. Then are useful in certain circumstances and on my contract are covered as part of the free usage allowance although they eat through the minutes faster than normal voice (1 video minute = 3 voice minutes).

Also if you had a camera on the front you use the phone as a mirror and could have a couple of silly fun games where you could use different parts of your face to control the game.

 

[iLoveMyApple]

A front facing camera would be fun if Apple added a Photo Booth app to the iPhone. I think if the iPhone gets a front facing camera, more phone companies will start coming out with phones with front facing cameras. How many touch screen phones were there before iPhone? The iPhone started the touch screen phone craze. Therefore could create a front facing camera craze for video calling, making it not as useless, because other phones will have the ability

 

[The General]

Also if you had a camera on the front you use the phone as a mirror and could have a couple of silly fun games where you could use different parts of your face to control the game.

I think it would be used for that 99.999999999% of the time and RARELY for video calling.

 

[Phatzer]

I'm not quite sure where software and device developers get the idea that voice commands and video calling is the way forward. It's the depicted future way in which people are seen to use devices, but the fact of the matter is that people don't want to shove a camera in front of themselves and they don't want to be talking to a piece of electronics all the time.

When will these people stop to think that until hardware capabilities advance to the degree that voice commands and video calling are no longer clumsy and ebarrassing, that the number of people taking advantage of such features will be next to nothing?

 

[CarlyLyon]

i think it would be fun b/c you would be able to show friends stuff that couldnt see like if you were at a concert or something or something crazy i just wish the video quality is much better than normal

 

[skwoytek]

A front facing camera could be used for:

Self portraits. In many applications, like facebook profile pics, a picture of your face is handy. Facebook already gives you the option to take s snapshot; but taking a picture of yourself or you and a friend is almost impossible with the current iPhone.

Video conferencing. With a Window's iChat client I think this could be very useful. Especially for those who travel but have kids at home. No need for laptops or anything, just a little iChat face time with the kids.

Mirror Application. Yes, I'm sure many developers would release a mirror app.

As far as video calls go, I can't see it being too popular yet. But I do see a front facing camera having practical uses.

I could also see some clever application developers using it as a form of input, if that's allow by an API.

 

[beamer8912]

I know I wouldn't use it. I know a several people with iPhones but I don't picture myself video calling anyone. There are tons of other features I'd rather have than a front facing camera.

If iChat is the big feature of the new iPhone i may pass on the upgrade.