Fring Adds Video Calling to iPhone

[MacRumors]

Israeli firm fringland, one of the earliest VoIP services for the iPhone and iPod touch, has announced the launch of video calling for the iPhone and iPod touch. The feature is included in the latest version of the company's fring iPhone application [App Store, Free].

Unfortunately, because the iPhone's camera is on the rear of the device, only one-way incoming video calls are possible, although the application will support two-way video calling if the iPhone and iPod touch gain front-facing cameras in the future. The company already supports two-way video calling on several Nokia phones with such cameras.

Right now iPhone and iPod touch users can receive and make fring and Skype video calls entirely over Internet connection (for free!) and see the person on the other end. When a front camera is placed on these, we'll have two-way video calls available here too just as we do on all the supported Nokia devices.

A promotional video highlighting the new video functionality has also been released.



Article Link: Fring Adds Video Calling to iPhone

 

[javaGuru]

Is this available for wifi only or will it be available via 3G as well?

 

[ipoppy]

Not impressed with quality but its a great feature. I see ichat AV coming for next iphone then if Apple allowed fring get that. Cant wait

 

[ipoppy]

Is this available for wifi only or will it be available via 3G as well?

Wifi only but with "Unrestrictor" (jailbroken) works well as tested

 

[Doctor Q]

Couldn't somebody manufacture a mirror attachment to let you use the back-facing camera as a front-facing camera? It wouldn't be as good as a camera on the front but would it work well enough to let you do two-way videocalls now?

Software can certainly reverse a mirror image so that shouldn't be a holdup.

 

[nkawtg72]

i've always wondered why someone doesn't put a small cam in a plugin module, similar in size to a USB cable dock connector. the cam would be facing forward of course, have a light for additional illumination and would be able to communicate with software on the iPhone to do video chatting.

 

[nagromme]

The rear camera would be useful to have enabled, for showing things to people for instance.

 

[ipoppy]

i've always wondered why someone doesn't put a small cam in a plugin module, similar in size to a USB cable dock connector. the cam would be facing forward of course, have a light for additional illumination and would be able to communicate with software on the iPhone to do video chatting.

Never going to happened. Apple wont allow such device to work with iphone. As a mirror attachment thing; bulky and will be looking really silly so not going to happened neither.
For me fring is good indication that Apple might be planning to implement ichat AV with front camera in june/july iphone. That what I hope for anyway...really badly

 

[kdarling]

The mirror idea was done almost as soon as the iPhone came out in 2007:

Mirror video conferencing on iPhone

Pretty clever-looking, actually... at least for desktop use.

 

[Doctor Q]

As a mirror attachment thing; bulky and will be looking really silly so not going to happened neither.

Maybe not walking around, but at home on a desk I could imagine it.

 

[ipoppy]

The mirror idea was done almost as soon as the iPhone came out in 2007:

Mirror video conferencing on iPhone

Pretty clever-looking, actually... at least for desktop use.

....and that thing has never seen daylight

 

[ipoppy]

Maybe not walking around, but at home on a desk I could imagine it.

Not to being a pain but why would I do that if I could have proper video chat on my laptop/desktop then? Sorry but that won't work as some poor attempts in the link from above posts.
Apple got already some patent for camera behind screen and that I would call a cool feature

 

[greenpaz]

First of all, AT&T only recently allowed MMS in the U.S. Why would they, just a year later, allow something that puts such an incredibly heavy strain on an already overburdened network?

Second, a videophone is only useful if more than a small percentage of people out there actually have it. Until then, it's really just a gimmick.

It's bad enough that people wander around talking on cell phones, completely oblivious to other people and traffic. Imagine what happens when they're doing that and looking at their phone screen at the same time. I smell anarchy.

 

[aggieandrew]

Couldn't somebody manufacture a mirror attachment to let you use the back-facing camera as a front-facing camera? It wouldn't be as good as a camera on the front but would it work well enough to let you do two-way videocalls now?

Software can certainly reverse a mirror image so that shouldn't be a holdup.

I was going to suggest that same thing, then decided I should read the others posts in the thread. I'm no physicist, but I think since you'd need two mirrors, you wouldn't have to worry about the image being reversed.

 

[kdarling]

Second, a videophone is only useful if more than a small percentage of people out there actually have it. Until then, it's really just a gimmick.

For me, it'd be quite useful even if just the people I care to see have one.

We video Skype every day to our family members in Hawaii, Florida, Nevada, D.C. I'd love to be able to use a smartphone to do the same on vacations, instead of dragging along our laptops for that purpose.

Many smartphone models sold outside the USA have front cameras for video calls. But apparently the quality and the cost have been some reasons that prevented widespread adoption.

 

[2992]

wOow... now that's something: after ~10 years since videocalling feature was firstly commercial available, seems that iPhone will (maybe/probably/hopefully?) get it in 2010 with a front camera. Now that's a fast to market thingy... not to mention the MMS.
Way to go Apple!

 

[2992]

For me, it'd be quite useful even if just the people I care to see have one.

We video Skype every day to our family members in Hawaii, Florida, Nevada, D.C. I'd love to be able to use a smartphone to do the same on vacations, instead of dragging along our laptops for that purpose.

Many smartphone models sold outside the USA have front cameras for video calls. But apparently the quality and the cost have been some reasons that prevented widespread adoption.

Actually, they are quite cheap.

 

[kdarling]

Actually, they are quite cheap.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant the data and/or video-call plans

 

[Snowy_River]

i've always wondered why someone doesn't put a small cam in a plugin module, similar in size to a USB cable dock connector. the cam would be facing forward of course, have a light for additional illumination and would be able to communicate with software on the iPhone to do video chatting.

I was thinking the same thing. I'd like to see one that could point either direction to help out us iPod Touch users that don't have a camera...

Never going to happened. Apple wont allow such device to work with iphone. . . .

From Engadget’s coverage of the iPhone 3.0 event:

10:19AM “They talk over the dock, and wirelessly over Bluetooth. Things like playing and pausing music, getting artwork — or you can build your own custom protocols.”

If Apple has provided a means of creating devices that can talk through the dock connector with standard, or custom protocols, how is it that they have any control over the creation of such a device? That said, I'll grant that they do then have control over the acceptance of apps that would use such a device, but that could open them up to even more bad press about their rejection practices...

 

[macduke]

...but that could open them up to even more bad press about their rejection practices...

But has that REALLY stopped them so far?

 

[hexproject]

doesn't work from 3G to 3GS

any help?
the video just keeps on red circle...

 

[johnnyjibbs]

2 way video would work if both people carried a mirror...

 

[iphones4evry1]

Just stand in front of a mirror, and it will work fine.

(when it comes to the iPhone camera, Apple is really lagging behind. The small touch-screen camera button is terrible. The Droid has a real, physical camera button like a real camera. Come on Apple, get with the program!)

 

[ZipZap]

So its really a no way connection unless one or the other end has a front facing camera.

So iphone to iphone is pointless.