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FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows via the web

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101–110 of 352 posts

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

#101

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…

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

A third one would be that they require a phone number?

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

#103

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…

Just tried and when going to the site it asks for a name, no need for an Apple Id. And on the hosts device it asks to be let into the call.

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

#104
post #51

Maybe this means Apple will bring iMessage to Android in a year or two just to mess with Facebook Messenger.

ignorant q: does Messenger still hold much of market share? over the last few years almost all of my contacts transitioned to WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal. Messenger is just way too bloated.

My impression is that teenagers just use Instagram chat these days (or Snapchat).

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

#105
post #42

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?

[deleted]

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

#106
post #85
post #3

But iMessages isn't, ensuring its continued irrelevance in countries that are not the United States of America.

Among iPhone users, iMessage is heavily used as it's simply the most pleasant solution out there for messaging. For what it's worth, I'm in South Africa and about 95% of my friends have iPhones. WhatsApp is very popular here, but for chatting I probably check WhatsApp three times a day, and I use iMessage almost continuously.

> For what it's worth, I'm in South Africa and about 95% of my friends have iPhones.

You seem to be a very strange bubble: https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/south-afri...

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

#107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be clear are you saying that a web user has no way to initiate a call? They can only join via one-time link to a call started by a user on Apple hardware?

That is correct So an Apple user creates a facetime call and sends the invite link to Android & Windows user. They then join on to the call using their browsers. Non iOS devices wont be able to make a call. The web interface is just a way to join a call.

I think it's still pretty unclear at this point, because "an Apple user" can refer to someone with an AppleID using a web-browser on another platform.

Unless of course they made additional statements somewhere I'm unaware of (and maybe could you provide some source to further explain).

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

#108

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…

My theory is that FaceTime calls can only be initiated/scheduled from an Apple device. That prevents most of the spam problem, since you won’t be able to initiate a call through web.

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

#109

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…

You want half assed? FaceTime when it was announced by Steve Jobs, he himself up on stage said it would be open source. The developers in the front rows looked at each other and said, “did we say it would be open sourced?”

It’s still not open sourced to this day.

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

#110
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Signal: requires disclosing a phone number to everyone you use it with

> Signal: requires disclosing a phone number to everyone you use it with Signal also got distracted with a cryptocurrency scheme [1]. That shot their credibility in many circles. [1] https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2021/04/wtf-signal-ad...

Not exactly. They're evaluating adding micro payments to the app.

These micro payments will be handled by a third party which uses a crypto currency in the exchange.

The feature itself is good imo. Though I'm prolly never gonna use it because of the crypto intermediary.

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