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iPod touch Why are Apple acting like video calling is a new invention?

mrsir2009

mrsir2009

macrumors 604
Original poster
Sep 17, 2009
7,505
156
Melbourne, Australia
Why are Apple acting like video calling (or facetime, and they call it) is brand new? Its been around for ages, and its a standard on cellphones that cost more than $99. It seems strange that they left it out on the first iPod Touch, and then when they implement in on this version they are acting like they invented video calling :confused:
 
mrsir2009 said:
Why are Apple acting like video calling (or facetime, and they call it) is brand new? Its been around for ages, and its a standard on cellphones that cost more than $99. It seems strange that they left it out on the first iPod Touch, and then when they implement in on this version they are acting like they invented video calling :confused:
Click to expand...
Yes, it is not very typical it the US. It will be soon, though.
 
mrsir2009 said:
Why are Apple acting like video calling (or facetime, and they call it) is brand new? Its been around for ages, and its a standard on cellphones that cost more than $99. It seems strange that they left it out on the first iPod Touch, and then when they implement in on this version they are acting like they invented video calling :confused:
Click to expand...
What exactly is Apple doing to "act like they invented video calling"?
 
Apple is great at marketing. You want to highlight the best features in your products so that it will target a majority. They is a lot stuff that they don't talk about, and I'm guessing cause that market is small. One thing that's on Apple product is Voice Over. This feature is missing in a lot of mobile phones and computers. Some phones will speak the name, but it doesn't navigate through each window. As for PCs, this feature cost $1k to add.


I can't remember but there is a car company that mentions a lot about their cars having wide wheel base and ABS stuff. BMW cars had this feature long time ago. And basically a lot of cars have that same feature. Bottom line is ...you can promote your product however you want.


Video calling. idk if there is a phone out that can Video call to a computer? I thought that was a nice move. Just think now you don't have to use your Mac to connect with your family at home while you're on the road. You can simply connect with your iPhone/iTouch. I know a lot of musicians and business people who work overseas love this feature. Traveling with your MBP, you are most likely a target for theft. Now you can keep your phone in your pocket and not be wiry of someone coming into your hotel, stealing your Mac.
 
mrsir2009 said:
Here in New Zealand, which is not a very techhcy place, you can pick up a cellphone brand new for $150 that has decent video calling.
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mrsir2009 said:
Well if you look at the iPod Touch video that Apple made, they say its so amazingly great, even though its a standard on most phones today (except budget ones).
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We're a bit behind the rest of the developed world when it comes to connectivity like that. In the US, video calling is far from standard. (Though it's not new here, either.)
 
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Like the previous poster has stated, Apple is great at marketing their products. Since almost the start, Apple has made their products out to be perfect for everything. Now, I'm not saying they aren't, i'm just trying to explain how Apple markets their products.

When a company markets their products, they try to get people to buy them. Basically the only way to do so, is to say how great your product is (you're obviously not going to say it's horrible, but you get my point ;)).

You're correct; video calling has been out for a long time already. But Apple is marketing it (and many other features) as a "new" and "seamless" feature so that people will buy their product. Again, this is not to say they are bad features, they are actualy great features and I do believe Apple *does* do a good job "reinventing" already invented ideas and simplifying them for the end user.

It's all part of marketing plans that Apple and many other companies have to use when they want their products to be bought by us, the consumers. :)

Hope I helped. ;)
 
mrsir2009 said:
Why are Apple acting like video calling (or facetime, and they call it) is brand new? Its been around for ages, and its a standard on cellphones that cost more than $99. It seems strange that they left it out on the first iPod Touch, and then when they implement in on this version they are acting like they invented video calling :confused:
Click to expand...

What other MP3 player have you see that does video - calling?
What other MP3 player have you see that does video - calling to a phone or computer?

They didn't even have cameras on the first generation iPod touch. Video calling is the step after putting cameras, so if there are no cameras, then ....

Plus, you have to understand how technology was when they introduced the iPod Touch (2007)
 
mrsir2009 said:
Well if you look at the iPod Touch video that Apple made, they say its so amazingly great, even though its a standard on most phones today (except budget ones).
Click to expand...

Give me 5 phones that do video calls.
Apple never acted like they invented it, but they are making it popular.
 
Ace134blue said:
Give me 5 phones that do video calls.
Apple never acted like they invented it, but they are making it popular.
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Five phones with video calling?

1. Vodafone 715
2. Sony Ericsson W705
3. Nokia 6120
4. Samsung S5510T
5. LG GU290

Most of those phones are very inexpensive too. They're all from different manufacturers but all allow standards-based calling between them, without using Apple's proprietary system.

There's nothing "special" about the phones that I picked either. The first two are ones that I've owned, and the other three are just random selections from my phone company's website (I tried to pick a range of brands).
 
Nermal said:
Five phones with video calling?

1. Vodafone 715
2. Sony Ericsson W705
3. Nokia 6120
4. Samsung S5510T
5. LG GU290

Most of those phones are very inexpensive too. They're all from different manufacturers but all allow standards-based calling between them, without using Apple's proprietary system.

There's nothing "special" about the phones that I picked either. The first two are ones that I've owned, and the other three are just random selections from my phone company's website (I tried to pick a range of brands).
Click to expand...

To add to that list, the two phones I have owned that have good video calling:

•Samsung S5603.
•Some other Samsung phone.

The S5603 cost me $500 and is quite a good quality and expensive touchscreen phone, but the other Samsung phone I owned before than was a budget $150 phone and it had decent video calling.

BTW, I don't know why Apple did make video calling more popular... That $150 budget phone I had with video calling was 2-3 years old. Long before the iPod Touch with camera came out. And my current phone (the S5603) was designed a year ago (before iPod Touch camera) and its got vid calling...

There's no difference between Apple's video calling and most other phones out there with video calling. Its just a marketing thing...

"People have been dreaming about video calling for decades. iPhone 4 makes it a reality."

Video calling has been around for years on budget phones...
 
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mrsir2009 said:
There's no difference between Apple's video calling and most other phones out there with video calling. Its just a marketing thing...
Click to expand...

Apple's video calling is not compatible with non-Apple devices. Conversely, I've had no problems with calling between my Sony and a friend's Samsung...
 
Nermal said:
Apple's video calling is not compatible with non-Apple devices. Conversely, I've had no problems with calling between my Sony and a friend's Samsung...
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interesting they would lock people out from communicating with their consumers that way. maybe they want you to tell your friends to buy apple products :D
 
Nermal said:
Apple's video calling is not compatible with non-Apple devices. Conversely, I've had no problems with calling between my Sony and a friend's Samsung...
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Currently that's correct. However, FaceTime is just a bunch of open standards put together in one package. I'm sure there is a little Apple coding in there as well but Apple claims they're going to make FaceTime open for anyone to develop with.

Also, Apple never claimed to invent video calling. They just claim to make it so easy and seamless, people will, and do, use it.
 
And Apple didn't invent the MP3 player, they just popularized a device whose name has become synonymous with MP3 player.

In the US, Facetime represents a first, well-implemented on phone videoconferencing standard. We'll see how the rest of the manufacturers/carriers follow suit.
 
Nermal said:
Five phones with video calling?

1. Vodafone 715
2. Sony Ericsson W705
3. Nokia 6120
4. Samsung S5510T
5. LG GU290
Click to expand...

It just amazes me how companies come up with crappy product names. 3GS was bad but W705 came out of someone's a. I doubt the video calling is good on those phones.
 
BornAgainMac said:
It just amazes me how companies come up with crappy product names. 3GS was bad but W705 came out of someone's a. I doubt the video calling is good on those phones.
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I think it means you got to Wade through 705 button presses to get to the feature. ;)
 
Consultant said:
I think it means you got to Wade through 705 button presses to get to the feature. ;)
Click to expand...

I own a W705 (the W means Walkman, for what it's worth) and it's only one press more than a regular call. It's really not a bad UI and is definitely the best "dumbphone" I've used.
 
Nermal said:
I own a W705 (the W means Walkman, for what it's worth) and it's only one press more than a regular call. It's really not a bad UI and is definitely the best "dumbphone" I've used.
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I have to agree. Before I had an iPhone I only used Sony Ericcsons, as the UI is, by far, the best of the dumbphones.
 
QuarterSwede said:
Currently that's correct. However, FaceTime is just a bunch of open standards put together in one package. I'm sure there is a little Apple coding in there as well but Apple claims they're going to make FaceTime open for anyone to develop with.

Also, Apple never claimed to invent video calling. They just claim to make it so easy and seamless, people will, and do, use it.
Click to expand...

I still think its a marketing thing. Its just as easy to do video calling on my Samsung S5603. You go to contacts, select the contact you wish to video call and hit the "video call" button. How much simpler can it get?

BornAgainMac said:
It just amazes me how companies come up with crappy product names. 3GS was bad but W705 came out of someone's a. I doubt the video calling is good on those phones.
Click to expand...

Its been decent on my budget Samsung phone and great on my new Samsung phone. Its normal for most phones to have a number instead of a name. They make so many models coming up with a name for each would be too confusing.
 
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I don't think they are acting like it's a new invention but instead they feel like FaceTime can bring high quality video calling to the masses. I've used a few video phones in the past and...YIKES!

The only way FaceTime truly makes a mark, though, is if they get other manufacturers to hop on board and they can actually get it authorized to work over 3G. I think the latter will happen rather soon but the former will take some time.
 
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