Information Week is reporting that, if one of Apple's latest patents are to be believed, video conferencing could very well be coming to the iPhone.Not only is Apple planning video conferencing, but video recording also, one of the features currently lacked that has raised many questions by consumers, when comparing Apple's product to other smartphones. Video conferencing would be an extremely welcome feature, and could certainly change the game for the iPhone, already a very popular device.
Information week claims that Apple doesn't just plan to provide a simple video recording application, but "it intends to turn the iPhone into a handheld video conferencing device" but notes that Apple may be waiting until "a more robust build-out of nationwide 3G network capabilities" until launching the rumored next-gen iPhone.
Apple has thought through some flaws, which also builds-up reasoning to launch a new iPhone, and that is that the current iPhone has a backwards facing lens, with a front facing screen. This, while being normal for a video recording application, would not work well in a video conferencing manner, however this excerpt from the patent addresses this:
"In some embodiments, an optical sensor is located on the back of the device, opposite the touch screen display on the front of the device, so that the touch screen display may be used as a viewfinder for either still and/or video image acquisition. In some embodiments, an optical sensor is located on the front of the device so that the user's image may be obtained for videoconferencing while the user views the other video conference participants on the touch screen display. In some embodiments, the position of the optical sensor can be changed by the user (e.g., by rotating the lens and the sensor in the device housing) so that a single optical sensor may be used along with the touch screen display for both video conferencing and still and/or video image acquisition."
There are still no details on exactly when, or even if, Apple will launch a new iPhone, but it's certainly expected. What other features would you like to see in a next-gen iPhone?
Last edited by bob21 on 02 Feb 2009 - 21:22
The #1 reason Apple doesn't release a "feature" that everyone else already has is the fact that its not ready for prime time yet. Lets face it, here in the US Video Conferencing with cellphones sucks - its too slow, difficult to get going, basically trying to use it is no fun.
Next your going to tell me were not ready for mms yet . What is it with you apple fanboys anyway ? Why do you make up these wild theory's to ensure apple is awalys in the right , I guess its just a fact of life .
But next time can you try to make them more interesting , How about Apple wont add video conferencing because in 2050 their phones take over the world and steve after being contacted by john conner formulated a plan by not adding video conferencing to his phones he will prevent skynet from communicating saving the world .
Its far more entertaining than the usual the world is not ready for copy and paste nonsense
Last edited by bob21 on 02 Feb 2009 - 21:56
Apple takes even current paradigms, reworks them, and popularizes them with everyone. We already had the mobile games download concept, but it took a visionary company like Apple to bring us the App Store and finally make the concept usable, friendly, and very attractive.
Same thing with touch. Same thing with gestures, etc. Apple has to redo a mountain of tech out there to finally make it accessible and easy to use for everyone.
When he says "implemented right" he's probably referring to how video conferencing isn't that popular and widely used in general.
I think you're being unnecessarily aggressive.
The point he was making was that Apple appropriates existing ideas/concepts and incorporates them into their products in their widely appealing 'simple' style. Their marketing team also plays a large part too, though.
One good example I can think of is 'Time Machine' which was implemented in Leopard. Incremental software backup software has existed for years and years, so Apple essentially took that idea and made a simple solution based on user surveys. With the marketing types behind it, they essentially got people excited about protecting their data with a simple backup tool and it does work very well.
I'm not an Apple enthusiast, just someone who's used a handful of Apple products over the year and has been generally happy with them.
Funny, it's EXACTLY the same as people like YOU not shutting up about how "Christians suck". Pot, meet kettle.
Funny, it's EXACTLY the same as people like
YOU
not shutting up about how "Christians suck". Pot, meet kettle.
lol
Its great the iPhone can do so much crap, but not if the battery life doesnt last to long...same goes for the iPod touch.
Its great the iPhone can do so much crap, but not if the battery life doesnt last to long...same goes for the iPod touch.
That's true. I find the iPod touch life to be quite acceptable, however. Just last night I had the chance to watch a full movie (about an hour and a half) and still gave me an hour of web browsing. It hadn't died then, just flashed '10% remaining' a couple times, heh.
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/01/31/a...iphone#comments
LTD do everyone a favor and get a clue
Edit: 2:30 am ain't good for me.
Last edited by Sam Symons Live on 04 Feb 2009 - 13:29
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