Why's Video-Chatting so important???

[Primejimbo]

I think it's pointless on a cell phone to have this, using your computer for this is perfectly fine. Imagine how bad the battery would be with this also. We already have to deal with the morons who have to talk on the phone while shopping. I love it when they are checking out and the cashier says how much everything is and the moron is too busy talking on the phone to hear, and holds up the line. Video chat will add a whole new form of morons. Then you'll have the morons who use it just to show it off on the bus or train.
Waste of money and bandwidth.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

You'll be surprised how many people would use it if it was implemented on the iPhone. There hasn't been any mobile software yet that's been widely known to users on any smartphone. If Apple and well know companies like skype implement this on phones like iPhone, Android, BB, and etc: it will no doubt be used widely.

If not Apple, Google will probably surprise us.

 

[TheSpaz]

Believe it or not, most people don't wanna be shown on a camera. It's awkward. I'd rather audio chat because then people can't tell when I'm not listening to them (distracted by something else).

 

[Primejimbo]

I can just see all the idiots walking around walking while holding a phone in front of them on a video chat and walking into a light poll great entertainment

 

[FSMBP]

Believe it or not, most people don't wanna be shown on a camera. It's awkward. I'd rather audio chat because then people can't tell when I'm not listening to them (distracted by something else).

That's another good point. The trend is even avoiding talking and moving to text forms of communication.

Also, as one one said earlier, I remember in the early 90s where 'video-chatting' on wired phones was supposed to be huge by the end of the decade. Last time I checked, that didn't happen -maybe due to technology but more so due to lack of demand.

Video-chatting is a good tool to have every now and then, but it lacks neccessity to be on a phone.

 

[MacDawg]

Video chat on a desktop or laptop makes a lot of sense (business conferencing, families staying in touch, etc.)

Video chat on an iPhone or iPad makes less sense (holding the device out far enough and at the right angle, battery life, etc.)

Video chat on a desktop/laptop = real productivity and reasonable application

Video chat on an iPhone/iPad = novelty

I am not denying the iPhone/iPad could be used in certain situations, but they are not enough to truly warrant the inclusion of the camera for the masses

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[Primejimbo]

Video chat on a desktop or laptop makes a lot of sense (business conferencing, families staying in touch, etc.)

Video chat on an iPhone or iPad makes less sense (holding the device out far enough and at the right angle, battery life, etc.)

Video chat on a desktop/laptop = real productivity and reasonable application

Video chat on an iPhone/iPad = novelty

I am not denying the iPhone/iPad could be used in certain situations, but they are not enough to truly warrant the inclusion of the camera for the masses

Woof, Woof - Dawg

Couldn't agree with you more!!!

 

[MDePew24]

I'm not saying I am for or against it but to the people that say it's pointless, so is the YouTube app that comes on the phone. It's just entertainment. At least a video chat would serve some purpose, being able to see family when gone. This is something that has a little more practical use than some of the other things on the phone. I don't use a lot of the things on the phone but for the few times that I need it, it's kind of nice to have. Kind of like MMS. I don't use it often but it's nice to have if I want to.

 

[MacDawg]

I'm not saying I am for or against it but to the people that say it's pointless, so is the YouTube app that comes on the phone. It's just entertainment. At least a video chat would serve some purpose, being able to see family when gone. This is something that has a little more practical use than some of the other things on the phone. I don't use a lot of the things on the phone but for the few times that I need it, it's kind of nice to have. Kind of like MMS. I don't use it often but it's nice to have if I want to.

MMS and the YouTube app are software solutions

A front facing camera for video chat is a hardware solution

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[jhurley]

"Why would you want to do that?" is always an amusing answer to a question.

People who ask that are not innovators.

 

[MacDawg]

"Why would you want to do that?" is always an amusing answer to a question.

People who ask that are not innovators.

I see it less of an issue of "why would you want to do that" than I do an issue of return on investment

Yes, it can be done and there are some times it could be useful
But is it worth the overall cost to do it?

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[FSMBP]

"Why would you want to do that?" is always an amusing answer to a question.

People who ask that are not innovators.

I don't know about that. And I'm not claiming to be one either.

Hopefully an innovator to come up with a better concept than a front-facing camera for video-chatting as it seems like its a dying concept in its current state.

 

[kdarling]

Believe it or not, most people don't wanna be shown on a camera. It's awkward. I'd rather audio chat because then people can't tell when I'm not listening to them (distracted by something else).

Before we started doing it, we all thought the same thing as you do.

As it turned out in real life, it's not a problem at all... because it's just like being there in person. And in person, sometimes you really don't pay attention. Heck, sometimes I'm cooking dinner while we have the video chat going.

Like I said, it's like having a magic window open to another geographic spot.

While I probably wouldn't use a handheld phone version anywhere near as much as the desktop version, it would still be quite handy on vacations or shopping (say, what do you think of this shirt on me?) and so forth.

Video calling might even have saved my mother's life. A few weeks ago she forgot her medication and started having trouble breathing. My father was upstairs and she was stuck alone.

Astonishingly, she had the presence of mind to instantly make a video call on her Skype phone to my office (five hundred miles away) and point at her throat to indicate trouble breathing. Then she held up her landline phone.

I got the hint and immediately called my parents' house and my father picked up. I told him about her problem and he ran downstairs to help. I'm still amazed that she thought of a solution like that so quickly.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I see it less of an issue of "why would you want to do that" than I do an issue of return on investment

Yes, it can be done and there are some times it could be useful
But is it worth the overall cost to do it?

Woof, Woof - Dawg

Have you not watched an Apple iPhone ad before? They are very good at making people droll over pointless apps or features. So I can only imagine the hype they can create over a front facing cam.

Wouldn't be a bad investment at all to do so. Apple also has the dough to take risks.

 

[iphonegeek786]

Not to be rude or anything but some people will video chat with it and some people will just want it so it can rust on their screen.

 

[MDePew24]

I don't really care what kind of addition it would be, hardware or software, there are things on the iPhone that are not for 'production'. This device is partly for entertainment too.

It's ok to see things from another point of view MacDawg...

 

[MacDawg]

I don't really care what kind of addition it would be, hardware or software, there are things on the iPhone that are not for 'production'. This device is partly for entertainment too.

It's ok to see things from another point of view MacDawg...

Never said it wasn't OK to have another point of view

My point is, a hardware solution will add $$$$ while the software solutions do not

Would you be willing to tack on an additional $150 for the device (iPhone or iPad) to add a front facing camera that you likely would use only on rare occasions or not at all? I am not saying it would cost $150, I have no idea what the premium would be. But how much additional would you be willing to pay? Most would want it to be the same price but add the camera. Not happening.

My opinion is that the majority of users would prefer a cheaper device without a camera and they will survive without it

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[Maverick1337]

Video chat seems like a cool idea on a phone. But would I ever use it? Probably not because that would require other friends having that ability and not a lot of my friends have iphones.

In regards to AT&T, I can't even hold up a conversation with full 3G bars because the call just fails. I don't even get calls, I get the ring of a new voicemail. I'm sorry but AT&T's service is seriously lacking and the backhaul is tremendous. I don't understand why they are adding things like the iPad to their service when they can't even control what they have now. It's already been proven that since the iPhone AT&T has decreased the amount of spending towards new towers/upgrading their service than any other cell company. I am really tired of 10-15 dropped calls/voicemail messages with no warning of a missed call a day

 

[MDePew24]

I think many people would be willing to pay more to get more.

And you are right and wrong about software solutions not costing money. The money is behind the scenes and will be tacked on at some point. The hardware is easier for someone that doesn't know or is not in the world of software development to see.

I don't use the camera on my phone too often but I would pay extra to have it if they offered a phone without one. People like to have the ability to use things more than you think.

Is it a cost to Apple to put this in the phone (HW & SW)? Yes, but I think that it would be something that they should look at doing because of the amount of people that would use it.

 

[MacDawg]

I think many people would be willing to pay more to get more.

And you are right and wrong about software solutions not costing money. The money is behind the scenes and will be tacked on at some point. The hardware is easier for someone that doesn't know or is not in the world of software development to see.

I don't use the camera on my phone too often but I would pay extra to have it if they offered a phone without one. People like to have the ability to use things more than you think.

Is it a cost to Apple to put this in the phone (HW & SW)? Yes, but I think that it would be something that they should look at doing because of the amount of people that would use it.

I think the actual camera (not the front facing variety) is a feature and function that many people use and want (vast majority) while the front facing camera is more of a luxury/novelty that that most would prefer not to pay a premium for

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[MDePew24]

That's funny because I hear a LOT of complaints about the quality of the camera so much that many users don't use it.

I'll say that having an iPhone is a luxury/novelty device. It's something that combines many devices into one easy to use device. Add the front facing camera and you won't lose any customers, only gain.

We are just assuming that adding this would cost much more. I would venture to say that we are over-thinking the cost of this. I guess if we could find the price of this addition then it would make our conversation much more meaningful!!!

 

[kdarling]

The material cost of a VGA front-facing video cam for a phone is in the $5 or under range.

 

[greenpaz]

If I had a choice between video chatting and a better speaker (or speakers), I'd take the better speaker.

 

[Maverick1337]

If I had a choice between video chatting and a better speaker (or speakers), I'd take the better speaker.

+1 The speakers on the iPhone are very quiet compared to a lot of other phones, namely blackberries. Even when not on speaker, it's still hard to hear even with the phone up to my ear. I think they need to boost up the sound being produced a tad.

 

[Hankster]

There's no question if the next iPhone had video chat that it would be a pay-only option. No way ATT allows video chat to be bundled in with it's regular $30 fee. It's just too much bandwidth.