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Apr 12, 2001
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165109-apple-video-1.jpg


Boy Genius Report posts a couple of screenshots that are supposedly from the "field test firmware" from the next-generation iPhone.


165109-apple-video-2.jpg


There's not much to say about the shots. There has already been overwhelming evidence that the next iPhone will have a front-facing video camera with video conference. The evidence has ranged from firmware hints all the way to actual photos and hands on with the next generation iPhone itself.

Article Link: Video Conferencing Debugging Screenshots from iPhone
 
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Seams like this iPhone will be a huge winner!
Only thing that could drag it down is the terrible AT&T network. :-(
 
Video calls will be available alongside tethering in 2034 :p

Either way: I really don't get why everybody is getting so excited about video calling. It's been around for yeeeeaars over here and exactly zero people use it.
 
Two-way video calls ... the day cell phone data networks slow down like a traffic jam.

How would Boy Genius have obtained these screen shots?
I'm assuming it's not in the developer SDK since you typed "field test firmware."

A couple notes on video calling - when talking to someone, you can see their facial expression and how they are reacting to what you are saying as you say it (no more talking for a whole minute and wondering if the other person is still listening or what they're thinking - you can see their facial expressions as you are talking (two-way communication). When someone you don't know calls you, you will be able to see what they look like (no more "blind" dates?). Of course, this could make crank calling a hell of a lot more fun if you wear a halloween mask. Haha! :D
 

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Seams like this iPhone will be a huge winner!
Only thing that could drag it down is the terrible AT&T network. :-(

completely agree but i havent had much of issues with AT&T's network
 
Video calls will be available alongside tethering in 2034 :p

Either way: I really don't get why everybody is getting so excited about video calling. It's been around for yeeeeaars over here and exactly zero people use it.

Sometimes it isn't the service, but the implementation of it.
 
Sometimes it isn't the service, but the implementation of it.

Exactly. I'm not sure how AT&T will deal with this, if they can't even figure out tethering by this point. I'm still confused as to why AT&T allows tethering on other phones -- but not the iPhone. I can't imagine that iPhone users would obsessively tether more than other mobile phone users (especially on AT&T's network). But mobile video conferencing seems to be something the iPhone could do especially well, and I can see AT&T's network being brought to its knees. Face-to-face phone conversations will eventually become commonplace, but the mobile networks will have to be built up first.

EDIT: Of course, there's the possibility that video conferencing will be WiFi only....
 
WiFi only, mainly BECAUSE video conference is TWO-WAY video stream, and it's not buffered, and voice has to be communicated at the same time. It requires a lot of bandwidth through the data connection.
 
Sometimes it isn't the service, but the implementation of it.
Exactly, the implemenation. That will be the difference. Since 1955 I have been waiting for this to become available. I was always jealous that Dick Tracy had that ability way back in the 50's. I am going to strap my iPhone on my wrist and get me a trenchcoat and fedora.
 
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I have to admit... As soon as I saw the "dump logs" button I giggled. The iPhone really is going to be able to control every aspect of life.
 
Video Calling Useful?

Video calling does sound like a fun feature to play with and I'll certainly be impressed if it gets implemented.

But, I'd like to point out that it's only useful if people you talk to also have the capability. I don't know anybody that has this on their phone. Well, I guess they gotta start somewhere.
 
I'm hoping the front facing camera APIs are available for use by devs, so maybe they could incorporate it with skype, beejive , aim. so it wouldn't be exclusivly phone to phone, but rather phone to computer as well. That would make the most sense ...right? :)
 
Video calls will be available alongside tethering in 2034 :p

Either way: I really don't get why everybody is getting so excited about video calling. It's been around for yeeeeaars over here and exactly zero people use it.

Did you post that same line about digital music players, phones, tablets, wireless routers, media streamers, sound docks, digital music stores, HD video, etc...?
 
lots of video call capable phones

Video calling does sound like a fun feature to play with and I'll certainly be impressed if it gets implemented.

But, I'd like to point out that it's only useful if people you talk to also have the capability. I don't know anybody that has this on their phone. Well, I guess they gotta start somewhere.

Lots of phones have 3g video call capability and have done for years (since 2003 in the UK).

I had a Sony Ericson 3G phone _before_ my 1st gen iPhone, and it had a front-facing camera for video calls. I used it once to test it out, and it was actually quite good, but I've rarely actually wanted to make video calls.

There have been a few times, however, where I've been chatting to someone about something I can see, and wished I could switch on the camera and beam live video, then switch back... This phone could do that, but you had to initiate the call as a video call in the first place, and that cost more money/took more out of your tariff allowance.

If the iPhone+networks sort out that little problem, I'm sure it would get used a lot more.
 
I wonder if this feature means the 3G chip inside the iPad will support HSUPA? The current limit of the iPhone's 3G upload speed is pretty poor.
 
...Either way: I really don't get why everybody is getting so excited about video calling. It's been around for yeeeeaars over here and exactly zero people use it.

...Only thing that could drag it down is the terrible AT&T network. :-(



If both of you are correct, then the zero people using it on the iPhone won't cause but a blip in the network. So AT&T should have nothing to worry about
 
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I'm sick of WiFi only apps. Its a mobile device, get the AT&T network to work right!

The best thing to happen would be an other carrier is announced on launch day.
 
Most are overlooking what Most Mac users use for messaging. iChat....
This would be great for an iChat messaging Application. I dont think this will be strictly for Video Conferencing , although it would be nice to have video conferencing meetings with a few of my business contacts that are in other parts of the world.
When it is all said and done, allot of people will be satisfied.
I also agree that the video conf. function will be a *wifi* restricted function, until everyone starts complaining, thus making the ever so slow ATT do something about the network changes. If there is some truth about the slipping hold of being the exclusive carrier for the iPhone. We might see some great changes with the customer service as well as dropped calls (The reason I jumped ship for TMOB).
Only time will tell....
 
Most are overlooking what Most Mac users use for messaging. iChat....
This would be great for an iChat messaging Application. I dont think this will be strictly for Video Conferencing , although it would be nice to have video conferencing meetings with a few of my business contacts that are in other parts of the world.
When it is all said and done, allot of people will be satisfied.

my thoughts exactly, desktop-to-mobile messaging will be good
 
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I have to admit... As soon as I saw the "dump logs" button I giggled. The iPhone really is going to be able to control every aspect of life.

That little button could add a whole new meaning to "debugging". :confused:
 
Can't wait to look up people's nostrils... :p

That is indeed the only thing you see.....
I have used my cellphone with video calling a few years back (just before the iPhone was launched) and I had a few friends who also had a video-calling capable device.

Sheesh.... it was bad. As no-one actually holds the phone (read: camera) right in front of you, but at an angle just below the chin, therefore the camera only picks up the face from below.... resulting in seeing only the nose hairs and a a couple of eyes looking down on you. :rolleyes:

And as you must have the conversation over the speaker, it hardly is a private call anymore.
One of the gr8 things about having a telephone conversation is that only the voice is part of the communication. Yes, you can pick your nose, simply look indecent, or disguise emotions..... while having a phone-call.

If a person requests a video-call and you deny... that sends a message.
A chat app you can leave off-line, your cellphone....? Nope.
 
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