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FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

theverge.com

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Re: FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

#41

Post by raunak »

qalmakka wrote: post #34
gundmc wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple could have brought iMessage to android at any time. They explicitly choose not to because of the social pressure to buy an iPhone this places on youth. This was pretty explicitly laid out in the Epic v Apple case.

That plan only worked in the US though, and it spectacularly backfired everywhere else, where iMessage is mostly irrelevant. I know a guy that never set up iMessage on his iPhone - when I asked him why he didn't, he just told me he only uses SMS for OTP which he reads from the notification, so it never occured to him to open the Messages app at all.

It worked exceptionally well in the US though. You are a weird teenager if you have “green texts” - anecdata of course.

Re: FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

#42

Post by kwanbix »

kevincox wrote: post #18

Wow. That is unexpected. I have to say that FaceTime in a browser sandbox is one of the few Apple products I would consider using. I wonder what made them take this path? I also wonder if someone could build a Matrix bridge if it is available via web, that would be fairly cool. Some questions: - Is it phone-number based IDs? Or can I pick a username or get a random ID? - Is spam going to be a problem? Previous Apple…

This is a honest question, so, what is so good about FaceTime? I have not used an iPhone since version 3GS, so it has been a while, but I understand it is just something similar to whatsapp video calls, google meet, or even zoom?

Re: FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

#43

Post by lotsofpulp »

ninkendo wrote: post #27
HatchedLake721 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you're missing the point who FaceTime is made for. Jitsi - heard of it once ages ago, never used it Zoom - for business Discord - gamers/teens? They can carry on "killing it", but I'm not going to ask my mom to install and signup for Discord. I'll FaceTime her or send her a link she can 1-click join.

I think Zoom is more "For everyone" than just for business. At least until they decide to start charging for it.

It is amazing to me that FAMAG companies let Zoom into the video call market. A half competent cross platform implementation would have left no room for Zoom.

My parents use Zoom now, and my distant non tech literate cousin in a developing country used Zoom to broadcast a funeral from abroad during COVID to all the extended family members around the world.

Re: FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

#44

Post by Someone1234 »

A lot of Apple's previous attempts at "web apps" have been pretty half-arsed. Including Apple Music currently. Let's see if this is any different.

I'm currently using Signal on Windows/Android/iOS and apart from two annoyances it is fine.

- No gif support on Windows (Android/iOS only)

- Cannot add a second phone but can add a tablet. As soon as it detects a SIM card slot (with or without SIM in it) it only allows you to set it up as the primary device, rather than a secondary like a tablet.

Re: FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

#45

Post by fastball »

HatchedLake721 wrote: post #23
radicalbyte wrote: post #7

As is, or will it be made good? The UX of the current version is poor on iPad / OSX. That was fine in the past - Skype was the only competition and that was horrible - but with Jitsi, Zoom and Discord killing it they've fallen miles behind.

I think you're missing the point who FaceTime is made for. Jitsi - heard of it once ages ago, never used it Zoom - for business Discord - gamers/teens? They can carry on "killing it", but I'm not going to ask my mom to install and signup for Discord. I'll FaceTime her or send her a link she can 1-click join.

Zoom is for everyone at this point, because a huge number of people have had to install it for WFH/SFH.

Re: FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

#46

Post by chrischen »

justinsaccount wrote: post #37
twobitshifter wrote: post #28

Steve Jobs notably said FaceTime was built to be an open standard when he introduced it on June 7, 2010 .

Close, he said they were going to make it standard (but then never did): "Now, FaceTime is based on a lot of open standards — H.264 video, AAC audio, and a bunch of alphabet soup acronyms — and we're going to take it all the way. We're going to the standards bodies starting tomorrow, and we’re going to make FaceTime an open industry standard."

I believe it was something to do with the VirnetX patent troll lawsuits that prevented them from fulling that standard.

Re: FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

#47

Post by Someone1234 »

kevincox wrote: post #18

Wow. That is unexpected. I have to say that FaceTime in a browser sandbox is one of the few Apple products I would consider using. I wonder what made them take this path? I also wonder if someone could build a Matrix bridge if it is available via web, that would be fairly cool. Some questions: - Is it phone-number based IDs? Or can I pick a username or get a random ID? - Is spam going to be a problem? Previous Apple…

> Is it phone-number based IDs? Or can I pick a username or get a random ID?

You can use FaceTime without a phone number. Just create an Apple account, then give your contact your AppleID associated email address to add to their contact card for you and you have a working FaceTime destination.

Re: FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

#48

Post by twobitshifter »

justinsaccount wrote: post #37
twobitshifter wrote: post #28

Steve Jobs notably said FaceTime was built to be an open standard when he introduced it on June 7, 2010 .

Close, he said they were going to make it standard (but then never did): "Now, FaceTime is based on a lot of open standards — H.264 video, AAC audio, and a bunch of alphabet soup acronyms — and we're going to take it all the way. We're going to the standards bodies starting tomorrow, and we’re going to make FaceTime an open industry standard."

Thanks for the correction. I’ve also read that FaceTime had to change from p2p to using a central server for call coordination after they were sued for patent violations. I wonder if that’s really what prevented it from being opened up. https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/31/21543315/apple-ordered-p...

Re: FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

#49

Post by ocdtrekkie »

bilal4hmed wrote: post #5

Its only 1 way which means an Apple user can send a link to a non ios user to join in. I as an Android user cant do that. Cross platform like whatsapp, duo or signal still win here

My guess is if they want to roll out wider competitive support for FaceTime, they just need to take their web version, which is probably a PWA, and wrap it in Electron for Windows and whatever the heck Android does with PWAs to put on the Play Store, and add the ability to log in.

This is a good first step though, and given I know people who only have Duo to video chat with their non-iOS contacts, this is going to be a blow to some competitors when that's no longer needed.

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