The argument against video conferencing on an iphone

[Nykwil]

I'm just a bit curious at the stat of mind people have with wanting to video conference on their phones, and why articles like this http://i.gizmodo.com/5144555/next-generation-iphone-may-have-videoconferencing-at-last stil persist.

Do people really want to be on the go and talk into their phones and see people seeing them on the other end? Maybe I'm naive to think that a front camera...aside from taking self portraits...is kind of a useless feature.

Now granted, on my macbook I have my isight camera built in and I've used it for photobooth pics, or as a replacement mirror for shaving, but in all seriousness I've only used it for "video chatting" like all of 2 or 3 times. It's fun for a bit but I expect the same thing to happen on the iphone that I've come to realize happening during an ichat video conference...you sit there staring at each other with nothing to say and feeling awkward.

Can u see someone on the iphone at starbucks just yapping away into their iphone doing this? The argument for using this at home or on the road on a business trip...wouldnt you have a laptop that can do this anyway? It may still feel awkward for me but there are some things i prefer on a laptop then on a phone.

I've come to the conclusion that my iphone is great for quick access of data and information on the go. Showtimes, traffic, weather, price checks, quick sms messages. Something quick and easy just works better and on the go on a mobile device like the iphone. When im on it for more than say maybe 10 mins i long for my laptop. And here is where i personally believe video conferencing on the iphone is unnecessary.

Someone prove me wrong? I dunno. Maybe international people have more of a need for it than say people in the states, and i guess their argument is that they havent seen friends and family for ages or something...but even for me; people I havent seen for ages, i'd rather just talk to them on the phone then to see them staring awkwardly at a camera. I guess that's why you see so many international students vid conferencing on their laptops at cafes?

And lets not forget...kepping an lcd screen on to display video while using 3g data to talk = huge battery drain.

 

[Nykwil]

Also, for people who have used phones with video conferencing abilities, what has been your experience? How often did you use it? How easy was it? Would you rather use a laptop/desktop instead?

 

[kdarling]

As far as laptop video calls go, they're terrific.

My eyes were opened to this when we gathered on family vacation in Hawaii a couple of years ago. A lot of people had Macbooks, and were walking around outside showing their friends in California, Florida and Australia, what our beach house looked like.

Now everyone in our extended family uses video Skype to visit with kids, grandkids and friends all over the world. We use it every day. We even put a computer in the kitchen with a big screen to do this more easily (HP Touchsmart with touchscreen). Even my technophobe wife can easily call to see the kids.

It's also neat to be able to hold up something and show it to the other person.

As far as a phone goes... never had the ability. On vacation, I think it'd be great to also use the main camera and a split screen to show the family you and what you're looking at.

And, man, if I'd had a video phone in college or Army when I was away from my girlfriends... woo hoo!

So yep, I'd like it.

 

[eplchamps0304]

Also, for people who have used phones with video conferencing abilities, what has been your experience? How often did you use it? How easy was it? Would you rather use a laptop/desktop instead?

why argue against something when the use of it is optional. I never understand people who hold this position.

 

[WhySoSerious]

i agree. iphone front-facing camera for video conferencing is POINTLESS and USELESS.

 

[Small White Car]

why argue against something when the use of it is optional. I never understand people who hold this position.

So you think that Apple would be getting these internal cameras for free and thus they won't have to factor that into the cost of the phone?

 

[Nykwil]

why argue against something when the use of it is optional. I never understand people who hold this position.

optional use of such a device like a front facing camera seems to go against apple's method of keeping a device to the bare essentials. And only putting features that have been thought out into the device. Putting in something like a camera that would be used rarely seems..wasteful...in many ways.

 

[Nykwil]

I'd really like to get the opinion of people who have ACTUALLY USED said feature on a mobile phone and whether they found it useful and warranted the battery consumption and convenience, and whether they'd prefer it over a laptop/desktop

 

[Nykwil]

I'd really think teh camera is on the bottom of apple's priority list. I mean look at when they intro'd the iphone 3g....they stuck with the same camera.

I would go on a limb and say they'd probably bump it to 3.2 mexapixel...no flash...unless hidden and really classy looking in typical apple fashion...i just dont see them adding another camera to the front...not on the iphone anyway...maybe on a netbook like iphone device.

lol i just brainstormed a great reason for a front facing camera. A quasi flash mode using the lcd

 

[GetAudiHere]

I dont think it would be that useful. We need to focus on smaller things such as a message indicator light, zoom, mms etc.

 

[Sky Blue]

I've called Tim and Steve and told them you don't see the point of video chats on an iPhone, so they're going to take the feature out of the new model. If there's anything else you don't like, just let them know.

I dont think it would be that useful. We need to focus on smaller things such as a message indicator light, zoom, mms etc.

Yup, they all sound really useful. uh-huh.

 

[Nykwil]

I've called Tim and Steve and told them you don't see the point of video chats on an iPhone, so they're going to take the feature out of the new model. If there's anything else you don't like, just let them know.




Yup, they all sound really useful. uh-huh.

hey, right now vid conferencing on the iphone is speculation. My argument is, why do people want this feature? Everytime you see a blog mentioning what people want this is one of the things that get thrown in and i have to ask...WHY?

 

[eplchamps0304]

So you think that Apple would be getting these internal cameras for free and thus they won't have to factor that into the cost of the phone?

the second iphone added gps but was sold cheaper than the original one.

 

[eplchamps0304]

I'd really like to get the opinion of people who have ACTUALLY USED said feature on a mobile phone and whether they found it useful and warranted the battery consumption and convenience, and whether they'd prefer it over a laptop/desktop

Battery consumption? What are you talking about, would it not only consume the battery when it is activated?

 

[Nykwil]

the second iphone added gps but was sold cheaper than the original one.

Only because the price was subsidized. Given the way apple releases products you would always expect a bump in something on a new release and having it sold for at least the same price as the previous gen.

 

[Sky Blue]

hey, right now vid conferencing on the iphone is speculation. My argument is, why do people want this feature? Everytime you see a blog mentioning what people want this is one of the things that get thrown in and i have to ask...WHY?

Because they would use it? I know I would. Why do people MMS? I have no idea why.

 

[Nykwil]

Battery consumption? What are you talking about, would it not only consume the battery when it is activated?

Using a camera +processing video + having a screen on + beaming the processed data out and recieving data from the person you're talking to...that's a drain on battery...and even the thought of battery drain would deter some people from using it...just the same as some people turn off 3g to save battery power or turn off push or lower screen brightness. Some poeple will cripple certain features and not ever use it just to save battery power.

 

[eplchamps0304]

Using a camera +processing video + having a screen on + beaming the processed data out and recieving data from the person you're talking to...that's a drain on battery...and even the thought of battery drain would deter some people from using it...just the same as some people turn off 3g to save battery power or turn off push or lower screen brightness. Some poeple will cripple certain features and not ever use it just to save battery power.

My point is if you dont use it it wont waste your battery life. It will only affect you battery if you actually use it.

 

[Nykwil]

Has anyone used cycoder? Take a bunch of 30+ sec clips with it and you will begin to see the battery drain kick in.

Now imagine that in a mobile video conference setting

 

[hsk]

Not only a battery drain - but what would this possibly do to the network?? It is marginal at best in some areas now. Can ATT keep up with such features?

 

[Nykwil]

My point is if you dont use it it wont waste your battery life. It will only affect you battery if you actually use it.

I dont see apple putting it in unless they can squeeze maybe a 30 min conference situation without overheating and killing the battery. WITHOUT putting a thicker battery in.

 

[Nykwil]

Not only a battery drain - but what would this possibly do to the network?? It is marginal at best in some areas now. Can ATT keep up with such features?

exactly, att cant even update the site they forward you to when you get an mms to be iphone compatible

 

[DavieBoy]

I think there is still only that one phone in the US that can handle video chatting. But I hear they have been doing in Japan for some time.

Video conferencing would be great on the iphone if you were able to talk computer to iphone and vise versa.

I use iChat to video conference everyday, some people never use it, some people use it intermittently. I imagine the same thing would happen if conferencing were able on the phone. The 3G speed has to be fast enough because I use a slower 3G connection (Sprint) to video conference with my macbook and it looks great.

If i were designing it, which I am obviously not, I would use one of those cameras that can rotate from the front to the back of the camera. I bet the apple designers could improve on these designs I found on google.

As for battery life. People are just going to have to become smart enough to know if they will not be able to charge there phone and decide whether they can video chat or not.

Whatever happens I promise I will never make you use it if you don't want to. So don't loose sleep about it.

Edit: thinking about it, if the cam could rotate to the front. A lot of people would love to have a photobooth app. I say this because whenever I pass a Apple Store I see a bunch of "wonderful people" that are just in there to play with photobooth. Where I have "wonderful people" you can replace it with whatever phrase you think best describes the people I am talking about and I know you have all seen them...

 

[t0mat0]

I think there is still only that one phone in the US that can handle video chatting. But I hear they have been doing in Japan for some time.

The date of decent 3G rollout in the US says something - it's catching up/not falling even more behind in it's progress.

To the OP - Skype. Qik, Kyte. The video streaming doesn't need to be 2 way. You can do 1 way video conferencing. It can be immensely useful. What is one of the key things people want from journalists at say WWDC, or MWSF? A live video/audio stream. Luckily, the systems in place do a great job putting up pictures and blogging.

That way, they can focus on having 1 decent sensor for video and photos. Which they seemingly have been doing.

2 way like Skype, etc has other great reasons.

 

[eplchamps0304]

Only because the price was subsidized. Given the way apple releases products you would always expect a bump in something on a new release and having it sold for at least the same price as the previous gen.

..the next iphone will likely be subsidized as well.