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FaceTime Ads Come to Europe as Feature Disappears in Middle East
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There is no big deal and nothing 'magical'.
Only the bend over and love it crowd seem to think it's brilliant and brand new.
I like to refer to them as the iTwats.
I think this was mentioned previously, but if Facetime only works over wifi, how/why would it be blocked?
That makes sense. But I wouldn't mind talking to someone that was wearing a Darth Vader mask with proper audio support from the mask. Burka would just be too scary looking.
Nope...add me to your list...
but hey...clearly it's different. You have to be on WiFi for Facetime, while the other handsets use the 3G signal.
As far as I can remember, only Oman has restrictions on VoIP services. I believe the speculation is that a member of the Royal Family has a huge interest in Omantel and is simply protecting his interest.
If it is the case that Middle East countries are restricting Facetime, I think this may have more to do with the unspoken reason behind the Blackberry controversy a few weeks ago. This reason being the uncontrolled contact between men and women. My students in Saudi always preferred Blackberrys because chats were not stored in the phones, so they could flirt away with local women (well any women really) with the knowledge that no-one would find out. There were always rumours that the Religious Police were trying to ban Blackberrys. I guess the fear of what the population could get up to with private mobile video chat access is simply too great for the decision makers! Why it is so different to video chat through MSN on a laptop in ones bedroom is anyone's guess. But the Religious Police probably don't want this either.
If it is the case that Middle East countries are restricting Facetime, I think this may have more to do with the unspoken reason behind the Blackberry controversy a few weeks ago. This reason being the uncontrolled contact between men and women. My students in Saudi always preferred Blackberrys because chats were not stored in the phones, so they could flirt away with local women (well any women really) with the knowledge that no-one would find out. There were always rumours that the Religious Police were trying to ban Blackberrys. I guess the fear of what the population could get up to with private mobile video chat access is simply too great for the decision makers! Why it is so different to video chat through MSN on a laptop in ones bedroom is anyone's guess. But the Religious Police probably don't want this either.
hate to break it to macstories and macrumors but the UK has had those facetime adverts for at least a month and a half
UAE telco sayint it was a mistake
http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidGN_26092010_270950?q=Facetime
Etisalat in the UAE, which also owns part of and has management control over Mobily of KSA announced that they are trying to clarify with Apple why the removed the feature. It is still advertised as a feature on Mobily's website.
Only one Telco announced they banned it which is called "du" and is based in the UAE.
I have reason to believe that someone Apple either made a mistake and disabled the feature to all carriers in the middle east, or Apple was fearful that facetime might causes some regulatory problems, and delay its launch in the region pass their worldwide availability deadline of september, which might hurt their stock price.
FaceTime isn't really a big deal in the mideast, the region had video calling over 3g since at least 4-5 years ago!
http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidGN_26092010_270950?q=Facetime
Etisalat in the UAE, which also owns part of and has management control over Mobily of KSA announced that they are trying to clarify with Apple why the removed the feature. It is still advertised as a feature on Mobily's website.
Only one Telco announced they banned it which is called "du" and is based in the UAE.
I have reason to believe that someone Apple either made a mistake and disabled the feature to all carriers in the middle east, or Apple was fearful that facetime might causes some regulatory problems, and delay its launch in the region pass their worldwide availability deadline of september, which might hurt their stock price.
FaceTime isn't really a big deal in the mideast, the region had video calling over 3g since at least 4-5 years ago!
It doesn't appear to be a big deal here in the U.S., either. I know lots of people who have the iPhone 4 and pretty much none of them uses FaceTime. Honestly, if I want to have a video chat with someone, I'll do it with Skype sitting in front of a computer. I don't want to have to hold the phone awkwardly out in front of my face for the length of a conversation. It might be more useful if it worked over 3G; in that case I might be more likely to call up a friend and show just a quick clip of where I am or what I'm doing. But limited to WiFi, it is not very useful.
How ever long these commercials have been out or where they air, I like them a lot better than the ones that air in the US.
Video Call
LOL, it already exist in europe since years ago, and we don't even need an wifi connection to to that, and it works with several brand phones, in some plans, in Portugal those calls even are for free, you pay 10 month and have unlimited call time from phones to the same network, for video, audio, sms, and mms. So Apple gets pretty much ridiculous in this situation!!!
LOL, it already exist in europe since years ago, and we don't even need an wifi connection to to that, and it works with several brand phones, in some plans, in Portugal those calls even are for free, you pay 10 month and have unlimited call time from phones to the same network, for video, audio, sms, and mms. So Apple gets pretty much ridiculous in this situation!!!
Probably just went out to English speaking countries first, Europe probably took a while due to all the languages. Now how about a Single Euro language, hmmmm like English
Just kidding
Just kidding
I think the commercials speak for themselves. Facetime isn't focused on business or even casual communication with friends, rather special times or times when a broken leg keeps you from being with your friends. The ads are well done and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that these are family oriented ads. They're definitely NOT aimed at misanthropes who live in their parents' basement.
Ok so the ugly part was a bit rude but to be honest here my mobile communications are sporadic last thing i need is to worry were the hell i am or how i look next time somebody decides to have a facetime call.
Funny thing is that for the longest we actually wanted the future to be exactly this.. Like in the Dick Tracey shows... but now I find it so useless. If i want to show you something i rather shoot a video and show it like that is both saved and i communicate it. I dont know i just do not see why Apple plays this up so much because to it's just not great.
You want to know whats really great about the iPhone 4? Video and how good it is, and the fact that i can share that via e-mail and youtube.
Funny thing is that for the longest we actually wanted the future to be exactly this.. Like in the Dick Tracey shows... but now I find it so useless. If i want to show you something i rather shoot a video and show it like that is both saved and i communicate it. I dont know i just do not see why Apple plays this up so much because to it's just not great.
You want to know whats really great about the iPhone 4? Video and how good it is, and the fact that i can share that via e-mail and youtube.
This feature is being blocked, obviously because Apple does not want blood on its hands. If a muslim woman using one of these things somehow activates facetime by mistake, she could be arrested and stoned to death under Sharia law for the sin of showing her face in public. This is daily life in many middle east societies.
You can also get mobile TV (T-DMB) and Wi-Fi in the subway. People who using AT&T would be very jealous