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FaceTime and the iPod Touch

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Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#21

Post by joe_the_user »

irons wrote: post #4
risotto wrote: post #3

Why is every DF post ending up here on HN? For comments perhaps? Google / Google Voice / Gizmo5 or any SIP provider offers data calls. I've been messing around with this on my iPad and it's very close to being viable. There's no question it is on Android. I hope Apple keeps moving in this direction but I doubt they'll be the first to route around the carriers. Right now all signs point to Apple being happily engaged…

Internationally Apple works with dozens of carriers, frequently more than one in a territory. This is still the company whose CEO referred to carriers as "orifices" not so long ago. They're going to keep putting a brave face on the AT&T relationship right up until the morning when they announce an alternative.

Sure but the alternative isn't your phone only works once you've bought a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

The only viable alternative to ATT currently would be another carrier. IE, the logic of the original post was rather strained.

Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#22

Post by WiseWeasel »

portman wrote: post #17
risotto wrote: post #3

Why is every DF post ending up here on HN? For comments perhaps? Google / Google Voice / Gizmo5 or any SIP provider offers data calls. I've been messing around with this on my iPad and it's very close to being viable. There's no question it is on Android. I hope Apple keeps moving in this direction but I doubt they'll be the first to route around the carriers. Right now all signs point to Apple being happily engaged…

Furthermore, couldn't you replace "FaceTime" with "Skype" and the article would still make sense? "[Skype], I think, is a first step in the direction of a mobile “phone” with no mobile carrier. If and when [Skype] is supported over 3G in addition to Wi-Fi, it’ll be data, not voice — megabytes, not minutes." Skype already has a device that works on 3G: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Skypephone_Series And today, Skype…

How many people own said Skype 3G device? How many people own cell phones? The point is, if you want to be making calls over the wireless network when you're out and about, chances are you won't be using a device capable of making unmetered Skype calls over 3G (at least not for very long, or with much success). You'll be using the carrier's sanctioned and costly services. You can make calls over 3G today with Skype on the iPhone, and it's free for now, but they say it'll only be free until the end of this year, and then they'll be charging for it.

http://blogs.skype.com/en/2010/05/iphone_calling_over_3g.htm...

The carriers are flexing their leverage over Apple/FaceTime and Skype to fight any free VoIP services on their networks. Look for a paid FaceTime-over-cell-data-network plan to emerge in short order, with revenues going straight to the carrier, along with Skype's.

Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#23

Post by WiseWeasel »

warwick wrote: post #6

If this prediction holds, Apple could add an awful lot of value to MobileMe by providing a sort of answering machine service to subscribers. I'm close to wireless for most of the day, but when I'm not it would be nice to have FaceTime callers that couldn't reach me leave a video message that got delivered via email.

Not that it's a bad idea, it's not, but if you're doing it by email anyway, then you can just hang up, fire up the camera app, record your 'message', and email/MMS it to the recipient. In fact, you can do that today, without iOS 4, or even an iPhone 4 (with some dexterity).

Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#24

Post by drewcrawford »

rewind wrote: post #16

There's a potential downside to this for Apple though: if they start allowing users to bypass carrier services, then the monthly cost of the service will start to go down as users use fewer features, but that also means Apple will get less of a subsidy from the carriers. Most people don't want to spend $700 on a mobile phone, so I'm sure they're not going to go out of their way to decrease carrier significance to any…

> Most people don't want to spend $700 on a mobile phone

Until quite recently, Apple hasn't been in the "most people want" business. Their marketshare has been going up, but I'm not convinced that they've totally changed direction from high-end.

The carrier locking has always struck me as a bit of a detour. If you look at Jobs statements circa the original iPhone he's clearly aiming at crushing the subsidized market. They've experienced a setback since then, but I don't think they're defeated.

The real story here is that all this time, we thought the renegotiations surrounding VOIP were about getting Skype et al in the app store. In reality, they probably really slipped terms in to allow Apple to do VOIP calling (even if it's only over WiFi, I doubt they were allowed to under the old noncompete clause...)

Suddenly, AT&T's rapid reversal on iPad pricing makes sense. AT&T must have gotten wind of FaceTime.

Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#25

Post by snagage »

glhaynes wrote: post #19
steadicat wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? The equivalent of FaceTime for text messages exists today, and it's any IM app with push notifications. Meebo and Whatsapp come to mind.

IM requires separate logins to be exchanged, they exist on partitioned networks, etc. IM's handy and has its place, but it's not going to replace SMS.

You should try Whatsup. Based on contact list phone numbers - no login exchange required. Very SMS like in nature. The gf and I use it as a SMS replacement and it works well.

Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#26

Post by pwim »

But surely, someday, there will be a non-phone-carrier wireless networking technology with far greater range than Wi-Fi.

This technology already exists. Here in Japan, emobile sells a "pocket wifi router" that has a 3G data connection built in. They advertise it in conjunction with an iPod touch.

WiMAX is another such technology.

Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#27

Post by jsz0 »

portman wrote: post #17
risotto wrote: post #3

Why is every DF post ending up here on HN? For comments perhaps? Google / Google Voice / Gizmo5 or any SIP provider offers data calls. I've been messing around with this on my iPad and it's very close to being viable. There's no question it is on Android. I hope Apple keeps moving in this direction but I doubt they'll be the first to route around the carriers. Right now all signs point to Apple being happily engaged…

Furthermore, couldn't you replace "FaceTime" with "Skype" and the article would still make sense? "[Skype], I think, is a first step in the direction of a mobile “phone” with no mobile carrier. If and when [Skype] is supported over 3G in addition to Wi-Fi, it’ll be data, not voice — megabytes, not minutes." Skype already has a device that works on 3G: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Skypephone_Series And today, Skype…

From what I can tell there's no revenue model around FaceTime so I doubt Apple cares about competing with Skype. Probably just didn't want to rely on a third party to provide the essential software that makes an important hardware feature work.

Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#28

Post by joehn »

portman wrote: post #17
risotto wrote: post #3

Why is every DF post ending up here on HN? For comments perhaps? Google / Google Voice / Gizmo5 or any SIP provider offers data calls. I've been messing around with this on my iPad and it's very close to being viable. There's no question it is on Android. I hope Apple keeps moving in this direction but I doubt they'll be the first to route around the carriers. Right now all signs point to Apple being happily engaged…

Furthermore, couldn't you replace "FaceTime" with "Skype" and the article would still make sense? "[Skype], I think, is a first step in the direction of a mobile “phone” with no mobile carrier. If and when [Skype] is supported over 3G in addition to Wi-Fi, it’ll be data, not voice — megabytes, not minutes." Skype already has a device that works on 3G: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Skypephone_Series And today, Skype…

they start late, yes. but they have sold 100 million iOS devices. so in a year or so most of those could have facetime. plus 70+ million new ones with facetime preinstalled.

Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#29

Post by Kilimanjaro »

A perfect phone for home. We already ditched landlines. Mobile carriers are sucking our blood while their service keeps sucking.

I, for one, applaud apple's effort to bring video call to the masses.

I hope a future Apple TV display can do video calls too. Genius!

Re: FaceTime and the iPod Touch

#30

Post by awad »

WiseWeasel wrote: post #23
warwick wrote: post #6

If this prediction holds, Apple could add an awful lot of value to MobileMe by providing a sort of answering machine service to subscribers. I'm close to wireless for most of the day, but when I'm not it would be nice to have FaceTime callers that couldn't reach me leave a video message that got delivered via email.

Not that it's a bad idea, it's not, but if you're doing it by email anyway, then you can just hang up, fire up the camera app, record your 'message', and email/MMS it to the recipient. In fact, you can do that today, without iOS 4, or even an iPhone 4 (with some dexterity).

That's a lot more work, though, than simply leaving a message.
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