Facetime 3 months from now will be the biggest "I never use it" feature

[zub3qin]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

Everyone thinks video calling is what we need.

But the reality is that it won't be used by the vast majority after one or two "gee whiz cool" tries.


Other phones have had front cameras and discovered the same thing. Apple bent to peer pressure on this one and came out with it because of all the complaints.

Honestly even if you could on 3g to any other phone, how often would the average guy do a video call with one of his buddies or the bank or with someone at work? People are too used to audio only telephoning and video calls will not take over any time soon.

 

[prfrma]

Thanks for stating the obvious.

 

[Duck117]

I think it's a nice feature, but I agree with you to some extent. It is overhyped by apple really. It's WiFi only, and iPhone4 to iPhone4 only, so even if you had a friend who had an iPhone4, you would have to ask "are you on wifi?".

I doubt it would be used that much. I think it will be limited to kids talking to their parents from college, and long distance relationships maybe. Never everyday use.

 

[iCheddar]

I think Apple's version of facetime is pointless. It's the fact that it's iPhone to iPhone that cripples it.

I mean, I think the idea of an on-the-go-webcam is cool. Thank goodness devs will have the ability to access it. Once I have the ability to access the camera and connect to another Skype or iChat user, then the camera might get used. Until that happens, and it's limited to iPhone to iPhone, it's pointless.

 

[-aggie-]

It'll be right there with voice memos.

 

[RiceRacerDX]

Everyone loves options and its great to know that if I ever have a need to use it, I now have it. It's probably not the wave of the future considering that other manufacturers have implemented it into their phones and have failed to revolutionize or encourage mass usage. But in the end, it's all about options, options, options.

I will say that I plan on getting the 32gb iPhone. I plan on paying the exact same for this 32gb iPhone 4 as I did with my 32gb iPhone 3GS when it was released...$299. With that said, I will have more options on the 4th gen than I currently have on my 3GS for the same amount of money and in the end, I really can't complain.

If I need it, it's there.

 

[Carniphage]

FaceTime for the Mac

If they roll-out Facetime for desktops and notebooks, it will probably get used a little more. Apple should retire the dreadful iChat.

But Skype will probably beat Apple to that particular outcome.

C.

 

[robbieduncan]

We've had mobile-to-mobile video calling on 3G networks since they launched in the UK. Most 3G handsets have supported it (obviously not the iPhone). I've never seen or even heard of anyone using it.

 

[Dammit Cubs]

It'll be right there with voice memos.

I use voice memo's every monday to record a meeting. It's just not YOUR cup of tea but its someone's

 

[Carniphage]

I use voice memo's every monday to record a meeting. It's just not YOUR cup of tea but its someone's

If Tiger Woods had had Facetime, it could have saved him a lot of trouble.

C.

 

[androiphone]

It doesnt work with the video calling that is already in many phones

It isnt able to be used for skype

you cant use it to call any computers

no-one uses video chat now far fewer are going to use it exclusivly iphone to iphone

 

[whooleytoo]

We've had mobile-to-mobile video calling on 3G networks since they launched in the UK. Most 3G handsets have supported it (obviously not the iPhone). I've never seen or even heard of anyone using it.

True, tried it in the first few minutes when I bought my first 3G phone, and never since.

BUT, no one can push a new (or struggling) technology into the mainstream like Apple. It'll probably need to be opened up more, but I wouldn't count it out just yet.

 

[corriewf]

I would use face time quite a bit at work. I like to be able to talk to my wife and feel like I am there with her. Helps to also have kids you want to see and want to seen you as well. I would use this every day if it wasn't wifi only.

 

[LaunchpadBS]

Skype video call over 3G would be awesome!

 

[Hawkeye411]

Isn't facetime open source? It could end up on a lot of different devices allowing for cross platform video chat. Than would be cool!

 

[chiefroastbeef]

Can it be used as a mirror? With the nice high resolution, I'd imagine girls can make use out of the front camera by using it as a mirror for make up, etc.

 

[elephunkman]

Can it be used as a mirror? With the nice high resolution, I'd imagine girls can make use out of the front camera by using it as a mirror for make up, etc.

That's what I thought too. Heck, my gf uses the current iPhone glass front as a mirror.

 

[corriewf]

Can it be used as a mirror? With the nice high resolution, I'd imagine girls can make use out of the front camera by using it as a mirror for make up, etc.

Sure the girls, right chief.

I don't remember Steve saying anything about giving access to the front facing cam for chat apps. Could be wrong though.

 

[Hilmi Hamidi]

The OP said he will never use it, probably coz he doesn't have beautiful lady as a contact.

 

[RiceRacerDX]

Can it be used as a mirror? With the nice high resolution, I'd imagine girls can make use out of the front camera by using it as a mirror for make up, etc.

This is possible. But I think the VGA quality (less than 1mp) will limit how much of a useful mirror it can really be.

 

[JonnyIreland]

My major problem with FacePalm -oops, I mean FaceTime- was that it was quite embarrassing to see & hear how big a deal SJ made of it yesterday, it was cringeworthy. Steve tried to make it sound like cutting edge technology, but really its old hat. It was like watching an old uncle promoting the benefits of his CD Walkman that he has just been given, like 'wow, this is the future, kids!'
Video calling has been around for as long as 3G networks have been in existence, and guess what -it turns out that most (not all, but most) people actually don't want to see the person on the other end of the call -and certainly don't want to pay to do it, which is why 3G video calls never took off. Whilst FaceTime is free, it is limited by WiFi and 4-to-4 only (for now).

However, even though I just said all that, I don't totally dismiss the FaceTime feature -I have a sneaky feeling that it will evolve and morph into other uses in the future, most likely in some sort of business or gaming applications. It will probably evolve into something that we can't even think of yet -just like we didn't envisage the App Store when the first iPhone was launched.

 

[elephunkman]

The OP said he will never use it, probably coz he doesn't have beautiful lady as a contact.

It sucks that it's iPhone to iPhone, my lady contact isn't on AT&T and is with T-Mobile. Devs will probably soon open it up for iPhone to webcam, which will be very nice.

 

[CD3660]

It'll be right there with voice memos.

...and conference calling!

 

[chiefroastbeef]

Sure the girls, right chief.

I don't remember Steve saying anything about giving access to the front facing cam for chat apps. Could be wrong though.

Well, I will use it too to make sure I don't have boogers or A1 steak sauce on my face.

 

[greenfields]

Call it a hunch, but I think there's a good reason the majority of facetime shots were of parents / babies ... it will be used all the time for one parent to let the other see the baby while they're on business, and the baby to see the parent too.