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FaceTime features could be expanded...

L

-LikesMac-

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 20, 2010
429
23
You know, FaceTime right now is cool, but I can see that there are certain things that can be improved.

For FaceTime video calling, it would be better if multiple people could be in the video chat (just like Google+'s hangouts feature where multiple people could be in a conversation).

FaceTime audio can have multiple people too (aka conference calling). The biggest problem I see with FaceTime audio, though, is that it is not integrated with normal calling as it is. Just as the Messages app automatically switches to iMessages when the other person has iMessage turned on, so should the Phone app automatically use FaceTime Audio when the other person has iMessage turned on. However, it should also be checked that the other person has FT Audio enabled for cellular data (that is, when the other person is not on wifi).

Another problem is the naming of "FaceTime Audio." It just doesn't make sense—there's no face being shown in this feature. IMO, it should be renamed to VoiceTime :D

What do you guys think? :)
 
-LikesMac- said:
You know, FaceTime right now is cool, but I can see that there are certain things that can be improved.

For FaceTime video calling, it would be better if multiple people could be in the video chat (just like Google+'s hangouts feature where multiple people could be in a conversation).

FaceTime audio can have multiple people too (aka conference calling). The biggest problem I see with FaceTime audio, though, is that it is not integrated with normal calling as it is. Just as the Messages app automatically switches to iMessages when the other person has iMessage turned on, so should the Phone app automatically use FaceTime Audio when the other person has iMessage turned on. However, it should also be checked that the other person has FT Audio enabled for cellular data (that is, when the other person is not on wifi).

Another problem is the naming of "FaceTime Audio." It just doesn't make sense—there's no face being shown in this feature. IMO, it should be renamed to VoiceTime :D

What do you guys think? :)
Click to expand...

I have a sneaking suspicion that FaceTime Audio will replace regular calling in later versions of iOS if both people have iPhones.
 
XboxMySocks said:
I have a sneaking suspicion that FaceTime Audio will replace regular calling in later versions of iOS if both people have iPhones.
Click to expand...

The question is, why hasn't it been done already? It's so obvious that it should have been implemented already.

And yes, FaceTime Audio is the stupidest name they could have given to the feature. It has nothing to do with FaceTime! It is VoIP calling, so something along the lines of VoiceTime or TalkTime. Maybe iChat? :D
 
djtech42 said:
The question is, why hasn't it been done already? It's so obvious that it should have been implemented already.

And yes, FaceTime Audio is the stupidest name they could have given to the feature. It has nothing to do with FaceTime! It is VoIP calling, so something along the lines of VoiceTime or TalkTime. Maybe iChat? :D
Click to expand...

Well, as far as I can tell, FaceTime audio is only on beta software atm
 
Voice time sounds stupid and people already know what FaceTime is so why not call it FaceTime audio? And yes I think it should default to FaceTime audio but not before there is conference call built in.
 
I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they expand both FT video and audio to support more than two people. The technology is there, but clearly they are taking baby steps for some reason.
 
The Doctor11 said:
Voice time sounds stupid and people already know what FaceTime is so why not call it FaceTime audio? And yes I think it should default to FaceTime audio but not before there is conference call built in.
Click to expand...

FaceTime Audio is a bad term simply because it seems to suggest that one will see a face using this program. Also, there are some people that will receive a FaceTime Audio call but will decline it soon after seeing "FaceTime." I know this from experience; I had to explain to some of my friends that FaceTime Audio is not about video chat (they did not pay attention to the "Audio" part).

Infinitewisdom said:
I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they expand both FT video and audio to support more than two people. The technology is there, but clearly they are taking baby steps for some reason.
Click to expand...

Planned obsolescence? It could be that Apple is reserving it for a future generation of iOS devices (though that would complicate things between newer and older iOS devices). After all, multi-FT video/audio may not have smooth performance on the devices that we have as of now. :p
 
XboxMySocks said:
I have a sneaking suspicion that FaceTime Audio will replace regular calling in later versions of iOS if both people have iPhones.
Click to expand...

sssshhhh.... they don't want the phone companies to find out, otherwise they'll need to improve their customer service to avoid becoming just big dumb pipe providers.
 
i think the reason why facetime audio hasn't really took off yet is because of the carriers. they'll bitch like crazy (but who cares).

in the future we'll just have data plans and everything will be over data.
 
About ur feature saying face time can be merged default when the other has an iOS devise like in iMessage ... I don't that would be possible for apple unless u use 3G or 4G because during a call(even FaceTime) the normal 2G is temporarily off and only wifi is connected .. While in 3G and 4G I think the network is off that's y u can FaceTime on 3G and not 2G.. I tried to do audio on normal 2G and I couldn't ..
 
XboxMySocks said:
I have a sneaking suspicion that FaceTime Audio will replace regular calling in later versions of iOS if both people have iPhones.
Click to expand...

The only problem I could see with that is. I presume that if you are not on wifi, does FaceTime Audio use your mobile data connection instead?

If it does and you were to make a lot of your calls to other iPhone users (which is a common occurrence now) then you could easily use all of your mobile data allowance up in next to no time. Here in the UK, there is only one of the four mobile providers that gives unlimited data.
 
Fatboy71 said:
The only problem I could see with that is. I presume that if you are not on wifi, does FaceTime Audio use your mobile data connection instead?

If it does and you were to make a lot of your calls to other iPhone users (which is a common occurrence now) then you could easily use all of your mobile data allowance up in next to no time. Here in the UK, there is only one of the four mobile providers that gives unlimited data.
Click to expand...

I would assume they have an option to disable FaceTime Audio, as there is for iMessage
 
XboxMySocks said:
I would assume they have an option to disable FaceTime Audio, as there is for iMessage
Click to expand...

I would hope they would.

I just hope that FaceTime Audio would be switched off by default has I can imagine it would catch a lot of people out with unexpected high data usage if they were ringing other iPhone users on a regular basis.
 
XboxMySocks said:
I have a sneaking suspicion that FaceTime Audio will replace regular calling in later versions of iOS if both people have iPhones.
Click to expand...

Wifi calling would be the only benefit from this. A lot of us already have unlimited talk/text on our data plans and for those that do not their data plans are so low (250Mb-2GB) it wouldn't even be worth it to make a call using data.
 
Armen said:
Wifi calling would be the only benefit from this. A lot of us already have unlimited talk/text on our data plans and for those that do not their data plans are so low (250Mb-2GB) it wouldn't even be worth it to make a call using data.
Click to expand...

I have no minutes but I am often in WiFi. So it would benefit me :)
 
FaceTime features could be expanded...

Things I notice about FaceTime audio.

1. It uses data, there would need to be a toggle to use only when on wifi.

2. FaceTime audio drains my battery noticeably faster then a normal call even on wifi.

3. Coverage. I'm with Verizon and I get good data coverage but voice coverage is easily better.

4. Only available on the iPhone. So you'll still need talk time plan.

Aside someone that has limited talk minute plan and only talks to iPhone users I only see/have cons when using it. Except since I have a Verizon CDMA phone that can't do voice/data this is a work around and I have used it for that reason.
 
cynics said:
Things I notice about FaceTime audio.

1. It uses data, there would need to be a toggle to use only when on wifi.

2. FaceTime audio drains my battery noticeably faster then a normal call even on wifi.

3. Coverage. I'm with Verizon and I get good data coverage but voice coverage is easily better.

4. Only available on the iPhone. So you'll still need talk time plan.

Aside someone that has limited talk minute plan and only talks to iPhone users I only see/have cons when using it. Except since I have a Verizon CDMA phone that can't do voice/data this is a work around and I have used it for that reason.
Click to expand...
I would add quality to that list. Skype is far superior IMHO.
 
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