If no slingbox then prolly no ichat right?

[wesk702]

I mean, if they are claiming that att is not allowing slingbox due to bandwidth then surely they wont allow video chats anytime soon right?

 

[mavis]

I mean, if they are claiming that att is not allowing slingbox due to bandwidth then surely they wont allow video chats anytime soon right?

Who knows.

Here in Japan, phones have had video chat capabilities for years. The way the carriers avoid bandwidth issues is by making video calls prohibitively expensive (not included with unlimited packet data) ... I'd wager that AT&T will do the same, if/when the iPhone supports this feature.

 

[Niiro13]

Who knows.

Here in Japan, phones have had video chat capabilities for years. The way the carriers avoid bandwidth issues is by making video calls prohibitively expensive (not included with unlimited packet data) ... I'd wager that AT&T will do the same, if/when the iPhone supports this feature.

Possibly, but I'm not sure if it would happen. AT&T decided not to have tethering when the iPhone first released. Now it's deciding not to have streaming video. Those two things have been on the network on other phones for a while. Video chat has not been. If AT&T allows video chat, then that'd be the first thing (that I can think of right now) that they've decide to add with the iPhone (so far it's just been not adding).

 

[Pennine]

I mean, if they are claiming that att is not allowing slingbox due to bandwidth then surely they wont allow video chats anytime soon right?

What about i Chat over wi fi only?

 

[TwinCities Dan]

What about i Chat over wi fi only?

I bet ATT would allow that! 😉

 

[Kahnyl]

I was able to make video calls for years with other phones. They were expensive and crap (the calls). Nothing to be giddy about. If Apple does it, it will be beautiful, but that's a good reason to think they won't do it yet because it can't be perfect in 2009.

Then again, if anyone could perfect it it would be them but there is only so much anyone can sqeeze out of 3G.

 

[kdarling]

ATT Video Share service

ATT has had a one-way video calling service for a couple of years.

In other words, one 3G phone could stream video to another, while you're both talking. Good for sharing vacation scenery, concerts, and so forth.

Expensive, yes. Limited to certain phones as well.

CNET review here.