Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

FaceTime without Mobile Network?

I

iKennett

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 22, 2007
293
0
Any idea?

Can you make a facetime call ONLY over the wifi network or will you need a mobile network to set up the call and wifi for video?

Does it use mobile network for audio and wifi for video?

In other words does your mobile network can still bill you voice minutes ??
 
Well you'll need to be able to call the person using the phone, so no.
 
burnside said:
Actually, you can initiate a FaceTime call from your contacts list, so they may allow FaceTime without mobile reception.
Click to expand...
Where did you see this? The only way I've seen to activate it is from the call screen.
 
wingnut8 said:
Where did you see this? The only way I've seen to activate it is from the call screen.
Click to expand...

This is still a feature that we are all unfamiliar with, for all we know you don't need a cellular network.

I believe: (IMHO)

1) On the phone with a friend and you then initiate FaceTime when everyone is near a WiFi hotspot; once FaceTime kicks in it drops the cellular connection and relies entirely on WiFi.

2) Initiate FaceTime without a cellular connection. You'll get a notification pop-up, similar to an incoming call notification for a FaceTime session. All done entirely over WiFi.


Thought Process:

When SJ said 10s of millions of FaceTime devices shipping by the end of this year, this leads me to a few conclusions. First, Apple will not be selling 10s of millions of iPhones by the end of this year. Second, I believe the iPad and the iPod Touch will be updated in September to give them FaceTime capabilities; this will allow Apple to ship 10s of millions of FaceTime devices.

If the iPod Touch and the iPad get FaceTime capabilities well obviously you won't be able to initiate FaceTime sessions over cellular networks prior to starting your video chat.

Now, some people will say the iPad just got released, there's no way Apple would put out an update so soon.... First off, I'm an iPad owner/early adopter and I believe it will happen. Apple has also done this type of thing in the past. I believe the reason the iPad does not have a camera for FaceTime is because Apple didn't want to tip its hand prior to the launch of the new iPhone.

Thanks for reading, your thoughts?
 
Revelation78 said:
Thought Process:

When SJ said 10s of millions of FaceTime devices shipping by the end of this year, this leads me to a few conclusions. First, Apple will not be selling 10s of millions of iPhones by the end of this year. Second, I believe the iPad and the iPod Touch will be updated in September to give them FaceTime capabilities; this will allow Apple to ship 10s of millions of FaceTime devices.

If the iPod Touch and the iPad get FaceTime capabilities well obviously you won't be able to initiate FaceTime sessions over cellular networks prior to starting your video chat.

Now, some people will say the iPad just got released, there's no way Apple would put out an update so soon.... First off, I'm an iPad owner/early adopter and I believe it will happen. Apple has also done this type of thing in the past. I believe the reason the iPad does not have a camera for FaceTime is because Apple didn't want to tip its hand prior to the launch of the new iPhone.

Thanks for reading, your thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think your on to something there apart from the new iPad.... I see the logic but think the press would kill them. Would/Could someone do a mini web cam add on?
 
iKennett said:
I think your on to something there apart from the new iPad.... I see the logic but think the press would kill them. Would/Could someone do a mini web cam add on?
Click to expand...

I actually see more of an outcry from people claiming Apple has screwed them over rather than the press. The press will just have a field day that a new one is being released, i.e. the first was so successful, now there's a new one.
 
Maybe it's just me, but I got the impression that FaceTime was only two-way video streaming over Wi-Fi, and that the phone call handled the audio.
 
BeyondtheTech said:
Maybe it's just me, but I got the impression that FaceTime was only two-way video streaming over Wi-Fi, and that the phone call handled the audio.
Click to expand...

Until we get an official answer, you may very well be right. I would then ask you to venture to guess how an iPod Touch or iPad or even a computer could then participate in FaceTime.

Those last three devices are bound to get the capability this year or next.
 
20100609-grgspsj6qd5mg27ju6c7ku8i28.jpg

thanks, have a nice day.​
 
iBLAKEE said:
20100609-grgspsj6qd5mg27ju6c7ku8i28.jpg

thanks, have a nice day.​
Click to expand...

No one is arguing that blakee...


What I discern is, since there is no mention of cell connection it's not needed for FaceTime, as I've eluded to in my previous post. Other people, based on what they have so far seen in demos is that it might need a cell connection.
 
Revelation78 said:
No one is arguing that blakee...


What I discern is, since there is no mention of cell connection it's not needed for FaceTime, as I've eluded to in my previous post. Other people, based on what they have so far seen in demos is that it might need a cell connection.
Click to expand...

But that says nothing about a cellular connection being needed.
 
iBLAKEE said:
But that says nothing about a cellular connection being needed.
Click to expand...

We're on the same boat, you can re-read my posts, I don't believe a cell connection will be necessary once FaceTime is initiated. Due to the fact that it doesn't come out and say what happens to the phone call that you first were on when you initiated FaceTime it does lead to some confusion for some people.

The demo showed a phone call first and then switching to FaceTime, since it shows a seamless transition, I think that is what is confusing some people.

By seamless, I mean it doesn't show the call ending then FaceTime beginning.


*Here's another thought....

Assuming that FaceTime is done entirely over WiFi, let's say you leave the area that WiFi covers - does it automatically switch to cellular and ends FaceTime if both are on iPhones?
 
BeyondtheTech said:
Maybe it's just me, but I got the impression that FaceTime was only two-way video streaming over Wi-Fi, and that the phone call handled the audio.
Click to expand...

AAC would not have been one of the standards mentioned in spec if that was the case.

also, it would cause video and audio to be likely out of synch.
 
wingnut8 said:
Where did you see this? The only way I've seen to activate it is from the call screen.
Click to expand...

http://thetechjournal.com/electroni...os-4-facetime-video-conferencing-coming.xhtml

"There will be a FaceTime button in the Contacts app and on on the Phone screen. Tapping it is all you need to do to initiate a video chat, even if you’re already on a voice call. The recipient will get a message saying that a FaceTime session has been requested which can be accepted or rejected. Accept it, and you are video chatting."
 
Dear un-scientific fellas:

1.Ask and define the question.
2.Gather information and resources through observation.
3.Form a hypothesis.
4.Perform one or more experiments and collect and sort data.
5.Analyze the data.
6.Interpret the data and make conclusions that point to a hypothesis.
7.Formulate a "final" or "finished" hypothesis.

Result: Yes, FaceTime works on WiFi only.


TEST, TEST, TEST!!! Don't just believe info posted on the web or sarcastic remarks by some dude cough* douche! cough*.

I have successfully made several FaceTime calls using ONLY WiFi; by entering your phone in 'airplane mode' you disconnect it from the cellular network and keep the wifi only.

Then you go to contacts, choose the victim, and select 'facetime' and... Voilá!! You are calling without cellular network whatsoever. Of course the other party has to have iPhone 4 too because these expensive toys are the only ones with the technology. So far.

But that's not all, two of the calls I made this way were made INTERNATIONALLY. (Ha! Take that ridiculously expensive service providers!!!)

Also, WiFi is not really necessary to use use FaceTime, you could try 'freeing' your phone you know... wink* wink*


Any questions?
 
Chobertt said:
Dear un-scientific fellas:

1.Ask and define the question.
2.Gather information and resources through observation.
3.Form a hypothesis.
4.Perform one or more experiments and collect and sort data.
5.Analyze the data.
6.Interpret the data and make conclusions that point to a hypothesis.
7.Formulate a "final" or "finished" hypothesis.

Result: Yes, FaceTime works on WiFi only.


TEST, TEST, TEST!!! Don't just believe info posted on the web or sarcastic remarks by some dude cough* douche! cough*.

I have successfully made several FaceTime calls using ONLY WiFi; by entering your phone in 'airplane mode' you disconnect it from the cellular network and keep the wifi only.

Then you go to contacts, choose the victim, and select 'facetime' and... Voilá!! You are calling without cellular network whatsoever. Of course the other party has to have iPhone 4 too because these expensive toys are the only ones with the technology. So far.

But that's not all, two of the calls I made this way were made INTERNATIONALLY. (Ha! Take that ridiculously expensive service providers!!!)

Also, WiFi is not really necessary to use use FaceTime, you could try 'freeing' your phone you know... wink* wink*


Any questions?
Click to expand...


So you resurrected a thread from back in June, prior to the launch of the iPhone 4 - mind you, to exclaim your superior testing skills?

In case you missed the subtleness, NO ONE had an iPhone 4 at the time of the thread, it turns out some of us were spot on.

I bet you jumped out of bed on Sept 12, 2001 and exclaimed how we should be prepared for terrorist attacks on American soil....

*EDIT*
By the way, the iPhone 4 is NOT the only toy with this "tech." Phones on Europe and Asia have had the ability to video chat for YEARS. iPhone 4(s) are the only ones that currently support Apple's implementation of the software that make Facetime possible.
 
Put the phone in airplane mode. Turn wifi back on. Use facetime. That's all the explanation you need.
 
Overseas free wifi...

I was in Spain for eight days and Facetime over wifi saved me alot of money on international fees!! As stated before turn on airplane then turn on wifi, and enjoy...:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back