FaceTime Set to Come to Mac OS X and Windows?

[Salacion]

I've been an avid user of iChat for years now, but sadly, it has become less prevalent in my day-to-day use. AIM's popularity has passed, with the number of users slowly diminishing throughout the passing years. Where I once had hundreds of buddies, I now have 20 that actually go on AIM from time to time. Skype is where it's at in contemporary chat.

But the thing is, iChat's interface far surpasses Skype. Though I love Skype, and though I'm infatuated with its ease of use, I just hate using it. There's nothing I'd like more than for Apple to bring about their own Skype-esque application, something befitting for how beautiful and easy iChat is to use. And widespread it would become, with it integrated into our AppleID's or MobileMe, or emails in general. Why not I say? iChat's time has come.

 

[adamwhiteley]

living on a dream

Oooh....I might finally find a use for iChat! Interesting stuff!

... that and if it integrates with itself with skype, facebook etc .....

(sent from place where pigs do fly)

--------------------------
mac pro i7 8Gb ram, Mac mini server and ipod touch 1st generation (waiting to upgrade Iphone 4 vs Ipod touch 4 ? )

 

[spencers]

Oh wow, I'm actually excited about this!
I still use iChat on a daily basis. AIM + Gchat all in one rocks.

Facetime really needs to catch on, and quickly.

 

[JediZenMaster]

This is awesome news! I really use iChat alot and the thought of the facetime on the Mac is sweet.

 

[German]

maybe they will bring iChat to the Windows world. That would make life so much easier.

Use XMPP (Jabber) instead of proprietary protocols and your life is much easier.

No need for iChat for Windows.
There are a many xmpp-messenger, like pidgin, gajim, psi.

Facebook is using xmpp, google is using xmpp, ichat server is a jabber server, ...

Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) is an open-standard communications protocol for message-oriented middleware based on Extensible Markup Language (XML).[1] The protocol was originally named Jabber

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensible_Messaging_and_Presence_Protocol

Killer Feature:

In Jabber you are able to log in several client programs simultaneously. You don't need to have different Jabber accounts for work and for home. You can chat at home, then go to work, log in again with the same JID and your home Jabber client will not go offline after that.

Let's imagine you working at your office. At 2:00 PM you decide to go to lunch. You lock your computer causing your Jabber client to fall into "Away" status. But on your way to a restaurant you could start small J2ME Jabber application at your cellphone (for example, mobber or Bombus). So now you are "Available" again, and all messages will be delivered to your phone while you are out of the office. You come to a restaurant and make an order. Wow, there is a free Wi-Fi service at the restaurant! So you load your PDA and connect. One more of your Jabber client starts, and now you already have at least three available resources at your resource list: "work" (office PC), "cellphone" and "pda". Both "cellphone" and "pda" have "Available" status. You probably prefer chatting through PDA because it has larger screen, easier text input and free Wi-Fi access. So PDA should have higher priority than cellphone for the same status.
Most Jabber clients allow you to tune priority values for every status. Cellphone clients often have predefined priority values that are lower than usual. Check some Additional Settings at your Jabber client!

http://wiki.xmpp.org/web/Jabber_Resources

 

[Iphtashu Fitz]

It's already here. Its ichat.

So how do I use ichat to do a video chat to my buddy using an iPhone?

 

[Ambrose Chapel]

so would they release iLife 11 on its own, or along with a hardware refresh (like the long-awaited MBA update)? i can't remember what they've done since they started the non-MWSF iLife announcements...

 

[R94N]

If it doesn't come to the Mac, I'd be very surprised. It going to the Mac would make FaceTime completely universal across all Apple products with suitable camera(s).

Also, this has to be worrying Skype, surely, since their service is very similar.

 

[Jeaz]

It is really odd to me that Facetime wasn't integrated into at least iChat at launch. It would make it a so much more useful service if it had more uses outside the iPhone 4 world.

As for new iLife - well it's about time. Almost 2 years since last update and it has aged since. Cloud services are even larger since and the MobileMe <-> iLife bits are cumbersome today, imo.

 

[FlashHead]

I have never even heard of anyone who uses iChat. All of the people I know either use Skype or MSN. I would love to use iChat, but I would have no one to talk to.

If Apple really made iChat available for Windows, it would be an awesome step. However, how is that going to compete with Skype, MSN or Facebook? I hate having two different IM clients open at the same time, it's a waste of resources. If I would have to have iChat running as well, that would be quite confusing.

iChat would have to work with Skype and MSN accounts in order for people to start using it. Until then, we can't really do anything with it. It's like having a futuristic electric car but no place to charge it.

Now you have. I use ichat twice a day to chat with my family when I'm out of the country on business. And that is A LOT! It is far superior in quality to Skype. Plus it has special effects my 7 year old enjoys. You can also share photos and video through it. Very useful sometimes.

I only use Skype when if I'm in a hotel with low or crowded bandwidth. Skype seems to run more reliably under those circumstances. But, if given a choice, it's iChat every time.

 

[Brinkman]

Nice! One more step to make facetime worth while.

Can't wait for iLife 11 and 64bit apps.

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

cant wait

 

[HLdan]

The majority of iOS Device users run Windows.

RIght, but I think his point was (and mine) that as long as there's the same software development for Windows and Mac at the same time there will never be an even playing field and there will always be more Windows users than Mac.
One of the reasons why Windows has become so dominant is due to more software being available for it over the years and less for Mac. Even Microsoft made a crappy version of Office for Mac to keep people on Windows. Getting the point?

 

[AppleInLVX]

I have never even heard of anyone who uses iChat. All of the people I know either use Skype or MSN. I would love to use iChat, but I would have no one to talk to.

That's been my experience too. I chalk it up more to the fact that I am the only one I know of on the Mac bandwagon amongst my friends though. That said, a couple of them DO have iPhones and are going to upgrade to iP4. If they bring it to the desktop, then I can finally have a use for my built-in iSight.

Looking forward to this, if it pans out.

 

[arkmannj]

Awesome !
although I hope iLife '11 doesn't ditch iDVD though...

 

[Mochi Hana]

I hope this actually happens, it would be awesome to be able to use FaceTime with Windows users. ^_^

 

[klaxamazoo]

I hope Apple has implemented really strong spam control. I would absolutely hate it if my phone was constantly bombarded by spam requests for Facetime chats.

Maybe if they made it so only people in your address book could request a facetime call.

 

[e-coli]

"This summer" is over...

Although, it is France...home of the 35 hour work week and 4 weeks of vacation.

 

[ChazUK]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.2; en-gb; Nexus One Build/FRF91) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

Excellent news! Hurry up and officially open the standard so I can use it on Android on my Streak and the wife's galaxy s.

 

[wolfshades]

I...But the thing is, iChat's interface far surpasses Skype. Though I love Skype, and though I'm infatuated with its ease of use, I just hate using it. ....

In what way is iChat's interface superior to Skype? I use Skype on occasion and have no issues with it, but am willing to be sold on iChat if that's the better client.

For that matter - is there a reason that iChat with Facetime will be superior to Skype on Mac and Windows computers, plus (I gather) on the iPhone? (Have never used Skype on my iPhone so I have no idea about how well it works there.)

 

[tsirko]

I love the iChat GUI but I don't use it except for fb chat.
I wish it could support MSN protocol and maybe skype's.
All the people i know are there! But those two apps are horrible at macs.
Skype is better than Messenger but still.

My Dream for iChat:

-MSN Support
-Skype Support
-GVoice Support
-Voice and Video for all the above!
-Custom emoticons maybe
-Dropbox intergrade for sharing folders.
-maybe some themes like adium's

one man can dream...

 

[jaw04005]

Apple normally holds a Mac event for notebooks in October or November. Sounds like a perfect time to announce the new iLife and iWork. They'll want to do a dog and pony show for it like always.

New MacBooks and MacBook Pros
New MacBook Air
iLife '11
iWork '11
iChat with FaceTime

Very doable in one event.

 

[blairwillis]

This is a critical step in the success of truly user-friendly video chat for real people.

Apple's path seems obvious on this:

- Add front-facing camera to iPad
- Integrate FaceTime with iChat/OSX client
- Cross-platform to Windows
- Activate FaceTime via 3G (or LTE 4G) when the time comes and the network(s) can handle it.

(not necessarily in the above order)

Integrated video cams on Apple computers (and elsewhere) have been saturated through the user base, although I bet most people aren't actually using them. Only once the software/hardware/network surpasses critical mass will it actually become truly useful. It's got to be in everyone's hands for it to be considered a truly successful communications medium.

One more thing...
It will cross-platform to Android. Yes, Android.

Is it so naive to think that FaceTime video chat will be in the hands of most of the modern smart phone toting public in about 2-3 year's time, as LTE takes hold?

 

[SeattleMoose]

Whose That Monkey In The Mirror?

If you are determined to see a monkey chattering away on your monitor, just tape a mirror over the display.....FACETIME!!!!

Now go have a bananna....

 

[alent1234]

RIght, but I think his point was (and mine) that as long as there's the same software development for Windows and Mac at the same time there will never be an even playing field and there will always be more Windows users than Mac.
One of the reasons why Windows has become so dominant is due to more software being available for it over the years and less for Mac. Even Microsoft made a crappy version of Office for Mac to keep people on Windows. Getting the point?

it's the fact that Mac's cost a lot more. i've compared the prices and in the desktop space they are very comparable when you configure a PC with the same upgrades. and on 15" laptops it's the same price once you upgrade it to the same battery life. but for a lot of people they don't care. most people don't care if the monitor is LED backlit. they don't care that with apple you can go to the store and get help in english. etc

Mac's are too expensive for the value they offer for most people. all the people i know have no plans to switch to a Mac, and price is the biggest reason. they all think you have to be crazy to pay all that money for a computer. and they want good graphics