Apple to showcase fourth generation iPhone video chat capability in new adverts?

By on May 25, 2010 at 8:31 AM
mobile May 25, 2010

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A little more kindling for the fourth generation iPhone rumor fire. Engadget has received a tip from a “reliable source” that indicates American Beauty director, Sam Mendes, will be in charge of the next series of Apple commercials for the yet-to-be-released 4G iPhone. The Mendes ads, which allegedly feature the code named Mammoth / N90 device, will include a demonstration of the new video chat capabilities of the new iPhone, depicting a scene of a mother talking to a daughter — or something quaint like that. The full story is all linked up for you.

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  • http://www.distort.it Matthew Snider

    While this is a nice thing to have, I wonder how much the average joe will utilize this?

  • scott

    when MMS came out, I was stoked. I don’t hardly ever use it though. who knows if I’ll use video chat.

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).

    • http://www.erictate.com/ Eric

      So were the rest of AT&T’s customers when it had come out almost six years prior.

  • chris

    You can’t Skype over 3g so why would they allow video calls? Just WiFi?

  • latinjersey

    att uses a different gateway for their video share, which is most likely what they will use for iChat. skype runs directly via the 3g gateway which is why it’s restricted to wifi for now.

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).

    • Scorpeo

      Video share is one-way, At&t’s 3G cannot support two-way video-chat. Most likely the ichat feature will be over Wifi.

  • Jarrett

    Video chat on Mobile Phones is really just a novelty. I could care less about having it or not having it. That being said Apple (if the rumors are correct) is preparing to play on most people’s “wants” (they think they want it anyway) by giving the public something they think they “need” (which they don’t). Now, if the iChat client on the iPhone plays nice with the Mac OS X version then great. Although, on that front there is a problem. The vast majority of iPhone users (like the iPod) happen to be Windows users. So at some point Apple will need to make this iChat mobile cross platform. I remember Apple using MusicMatch(?) back before they had a Windows version of iTunes.
    Anyhoot, this will be something very cool, but how much would we really use the feature? Time will only tell. The iPhone 4G (HD) is also solar/nuclear powered……at least, that is the rumor my contact over at………

    Cheers

  • RJB

    This is a great feature, though I do not have a need for it. Apple have consistently at each launch of a new iPhone come up with new features that leave all other phone manufactures playing catch up. I am excited about what Apple will offer even though I am very happy with my 32GB 3GS and will not upgrade until next year

    • denis

      It’s hardly a new feature, I had a 3G phone with a front facing camera and video calling 4 years ago. I even used it once to see if it worked, which it did. A few of the operaters here(Ireland) tried to market video calling a bit but no one was really interested and it never took off. The amount of new phones with front cameras seems to be on the decrease now as well.

      • namelesstwo

        @ denis. Maybe it is, but so it’s the tablet or slate. All of them failed to create buyer’s interest until Apple released the iPad, which has sold over 1 mil in less than two months, in spite the fact that lots of people said it wouldn’t sell because there’s no need to have one.

        The same with video chat. Now nobody sees a need for it, until the iPhone gets it. Then suddenly people will like it and use it, and think how did they ever lived without it.

  • TechnoBeaver
  • KJ

    My parents live in Asia, my parents-in-law reside in Europe, and my wife and I are in US. Skype video conferencing has become so prevalent that our parents don’t even start talking until the video comes up. Strange how adoption of technology can be so generation-independent!

    I’m normally a big skeptic when it comes to adoption of new technologies, but this is one “feature” that I’m willing to bet will become as widespread as sci-fi has predicted for decades. Now that bandwidth and processing power is available for mobile devices, the sky will be the limit, IMHO.

  • http://www.alphamaven.com justin

    video chat is going to suck.. especially with a significant other.

    W: “hey let’s video chat”
    M: “Not right now”
    W: “Why what are you doing? Who’s with you?”
    M: “No one. Fine.”
    M (thinks): “Damn video chat.”

    • denis

      Easy just say I don’t fancy holding the phone out in front of me and putting you on loudspeaker so everybody has to listen.
      That sort of inconvience is what stopped it taking off in Europe, people can walk around while on a regular call, not so easy if you have to hold the phone up in front of you and look at a screen.

  • http://www.section303.com Codey H.

    iPhone version of ChatRoulette.. I’m calling it now.

  • Christopher Cox

    Omg wow this is funny. A while back people were pissed because phones sold in the US didn’t have video conferencing. I always argued that it’s just a novelty anyways because unless you are holding your phone out in front of you up high then the other person is staring up your nose. Now that iPhone is getting it everyone is like … Meh … It’s just a novelty anyway, I’m not sure if it will be used. Apple haters are funny like that I guess.

  • sam

    Oh my, Apple is making an commercial and in that commercial they might actually show some features of their product.

    I can’t believe this, huge HUGE news!

  • Deaf

    Would be cool to see a commercial of two deaf friends chatting through iPhone video chat!

    • Norm

      Yeah that would be an awesome idea. I was reading thru here like psssh who would need that on a celly, had it on a laptop for years, used it once to test it.
      But that is an exellent thought. I assume previously you have had to txt, so this would be like reinventing the cell phone for you.

  • Guarddogg

    With my 3GS now I use video mail, while driving to answer a text, if I don’t or can’t really get into a conversation I simply go to video cam, start it then flip it over & talk to the apple symbol on the phone back, I usualy hold the phone right in front of the steering wheel and record for no more than 30-40 seconds then I send it off. I’m clearly in the screen of the recordings, theirs no “view up my nose” lol it works great and it will for video phone also, iPhone is used mostly at chest level anyway, think about where you hold it while typing & reading with it, same with the video recording, or video phone. As far as if you will use it or not, well then it’s a great feature to brag about, but if it’s the one way for you to see your kids & wife in real time to tell them goodnight & blow them a kiss over thousands of miles away when work has you out of the country or on the other side of the country it’s well worth it to my family & I’m sure there’s more out there like us that want that ability in their pocket rather than back at the hotel etc.

  • bonesb

    Think of all of the marriages that are going to end because one of them won’t turn on video chat, and we all know why…

  • dad

    2 things will happen. It will be the shit and ATT craptastic network will ruin it. I mean they have high dropped calls now, I can only imagine the video chat quality.

  • Guarddogg

    I think your right Dad.
    I can’t wait to see who the next carriers are going to be announced at the keynote.

  • Zenn~Coach

    With All Due Respect~
    For Those People Who Can’t See How The New 4G
    iPhone, w/Dual Camera’s & the New Sprint HTC EVO,
    With Dual Camera’s~Can Be Utilized, By Thinking You Have To Have The Speaker Phone on, & How that Might Be an Inconvenience~
    a Great Alternative is Ur Hands Free Attachment
    Head Set…My Newest Fav, is The Aliph Icon, Which is a First & Has its Own Operating System, (OS)..& it is Amazingly on Point, To The Cleanest, Clearest & The Most Crisp Sound System, I Have Ever Heard, For Ones Cell Phone & or Skyping on Ur Computer.
    I Do a Great Deal of WebCam Consulting w/Young Adult & Adolescence & They Always Forgot their Appts w/Me When We Used To Speak Over The Phone…They Never Forget Their WebCam Appts,
    due in Part, To This Generations~High Tech I.Q. & The Singular Notion of~Immediate Gratification, w/Texting & I.M & Now The Visual Takes it Out of The Virtual Realm & into a More Concrete Conversation…That is in Real Time…& Immediate…
    They Love it & Thought I was So “Hip” Because, Nobody Else Was Doing it..in My Professional Field of Expertise…Which is Clinical Sports Psychology…

  • buckskingold

    I personally am looking forward to the new Iphone. I have a sister in law who is hard of hearing. Currently we text or use a relay to talk on the phone. With the new video conference feature we will be able to talk anytime

  • jonathan

    @ I hear you on that one. Everytime Apple comes up with a new product haters always say “fail”. How many times have they been proven wrong, yet even with the Ipad sales now they are still trashing it. Now it’s the video chat, still they are saying “fail”. Why not reserve your conclusions for later. It’s not new technology, but Apple knows how to package it well. The big question is if AT

  • Guarddogg

    Scorpeo, that’s what I’m affraid of, & that would suck.

  • ParadoxEquation

    By my estimation, Apple has about two more releases remaining before they lose their hype momentum (give or take one release). The marketing researchers in their think tank have known this since the beginning. They are timing the releases perfectly, but something can only be built up so much before it reaches an insurmountable climax and begins to fall.

    The latest release is indeed a step into the future… something that was literally science fiction a surprisingly short time ago. I give them their due credit for that, but I can see right through their carefully planned and perfectly executed marketing scheme… Not that it’s bad for a company to be successful, but that is what they’re doing, in any case :)

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