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Jun

7

2010

iPhone Video Chat Wifi Only? Win for Android

8

by Chris Moor
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Well tons of sites are streaming coverage of WWDC right now, and Mr. Jobs was just on stage talking about the latest and greatest iEverythings. The new iPhone does indeed have some impressive features, notably the 3.5in 960×640 IPS display.

However, one of the biggest and most handicapped features on the new “iOS 4″ is the video calling. It only works when connected via wifi. This is a major disappointment and really shouldn’t be that shocking. AT&Ts network has been so crippled by the iPhone to begin with, anyone who would’ve thought that it could’ve handled the bandwidth required for video chat is crazy.

Hell, even Qik, who should’ve known how much load it takes to support video chat, couldn’t handle the huge quantities of 4G users and even had to pull their app until they get it sorted out.

» See more articles by Chris Moor

Categorized as Android News

Comments

  • Shane

    I don’t think this is just AT&T. Many carriers are reluctant to embrace video calling over their networks, and the way Apple presented this, video calling on other networks around the world will be wifi only for now too.

    So I’m not sure it’s a win for Android. If carriers block it for the iphone 4, they’ll probably block it for Android too. Once a carrier tests it and negotiates it out, then it should be available on all devices that carrier supports.

    AT&T will likely be one of the slowest to adopt, but if O2 approves it over 3G for Android in the UK, the iphone will get it too.

    Not really a Android advantage.

  • Scott Young

    Well Sprint doesn’t block video calling over their network, Qik just couldn’t handle the load. The point I was making is that if you go to NYC or San Fran, getting a reliable signal on AT&T is a bad experience from what I’ve read.

    There are articles all over the web about AT&Ts network being crippled by the iPhone. :)

  • ari-free

    The fundamental problem is this: Apple can’t really compensate for bandwidth but Google can. The ideal situation for Apple is if everyone just buys apps and don’t use the internet that much. But Google makes money from internet ads. They want people to use more and more internet because that leads to more ad views. They can then compensate the carriers for the use of bandwidth.
    It is interesting that the iPhone has a very hires screen but it is still 3.5 inches which is small compared to the Droid, let alone EVO and other androids on the market. I think this is due to the fact that iPhone apps are fine tuned to the pixel and can’t tolerate many screen configurations.

  • Jashuh

    AT&T will someday get there network up to speed (someday) but for now we iPhone 4 users are limited to WiFi to use this feature.. I have solved the problem by using my portable WiFi Sprint card for speed WiFi and it works great, but get your wallet out because this is just another monthly bill to pay, but it works for me.. As far as the droid or android or whatever else the others try to compare to iPhone, they all fail big time. I have used some of the Verizon droid phones and they fall short – sorry but the truth hurts, better wait until the iPhone comes to your service provider!

  • john Doe

    Fring on Iphone is the same as on Android. Facetime only doesn’t support 3g or non-iphone users. Great move by apple. If you want great easy video chat, get both parties to have an iphone and Wifi, if you want poorer bad quality video chat , use fring.

  • http://www.facebook.com/virtualnick Nick Tester

    Author’s Note: I hope that I explained Everything well, without going on, too much.
    I think that I made a couple of valid Points, so please be patient.
    Thanks. :) .

    “Hutchinson 3″, used to do Video Calling, all of the Time. (They the only ones who did it, to start with, hence a USP.).
    (I’m in the UK. In case You were wondering.).

    The problem was; or rather PROBLEMS were:

    Back then, the Technology made it Pixelated, and very grainy…
    Low MP. On the Cameras, maybe even very little Battery Life…
    Then the Screens, probably weren’t higher than VGA.

    Then of course, if Someone else, HAPPENED to be on, “3″, or You had got Your Phones in Pairs, which worked out a lot cheaper, if You needed two of Them…
    As the Video-Calling DID put on a Premium…

    You then had to pay 50p a Minute, for the Novelty of Video.
    That’s all it is, at 50p a Minute: A Novelty.
    Like Car-Phones, when They first came about.
    It was all just to show off, mostly.

    Now, with the Internet, even through a, “Mi-Fi”,

    (as We call Them Here… You might call Them, “Portable Wi-Fi Cards”, or, “Wi-Max”, if You’re the sort who gets advice about Computers from Office Stores,)

    being so much less than 50p a Minute, it just makes sense.

    Also, with Wi-Max, apparently, being rolled out, Sometime in the Future on a Global Scale, the amount of Wi-Fi Hot-Spots that large, and frankly scary, Networks have, EVERYWHERE(!!!!), (Some Networks let You use Their Wired Hot-Spots, inclusively, when You’re on a Contract,) As well as Your Home Wi-Fi Gateway, and probably at Your Workplace, too.

    Doesn’t it make a lot of sense, to just use the Wi-Fi?
    After all, Mobile Phone Companies will probably use this Video-Calling Point, as a Reason to migrate ALL Voice Calls to a VOIP. System, and have EVERYTHING, over Wi-MAX.

    It will take a while, but I think We know that They want to go that way, as it’s cheaper, and has more Bandwidth… Apparently.

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