“In a move that paves the way for America Online to launch videoconferencing and other next-generation applications of its instant messaging network, sources close to the Federal Communications Commission say the regulator intends to drop a two-year-old restriction on AOL Time Warner’s development of advanced, broadband-based IM services,” reports Christopher Saunders for InternetNews.com.
Saunders writes, “According to a source who spoke to InstantMessagingPlanet.com, the Commission has already voted on the matter, and plans to announce its ruling by the end of the week. When it does, it will officially clear the way for America Online to launch services like streaming video chat using its broadband network — features similar to those offered by rivals like Yahoo! and Microsoft and even by AOL’s partners, like Apple Computer.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: This bodes very well for Apple, iChat AV, QuickTime and iSight. Chat AV currently offers compatibility with AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) so users have immediate access to the more than 150 million members of the .Mac and AIM communities. Imagine if they could do more than just type back and forth and utilize the audio and video capabilities provided by Apple’s iChat AV? More on iChat AV here.
The phone companies are going to be pissed. Off to buy some AOL stock nice and cheap…
Yep…it’s time for Apple to ready those Windows drivers for the iSight too. It might not be on the scope of the iPod, but it would make for another good crossover product…
now, didn’t they put that restriction on AOL until they opened up their messaging standards to others?
I haven’t heard anything about opening up standards, so….
wtf was with that link genie?
well, at least I have a new submission for websitesthatsuck.com
you got my vote james…geeeeez learn some design why don’t ya genie!! Stop posting stupid-ass sites!
The site may not belong here–it is obviously off topic–but I don’t see how attacking the design of the site is productive. I perused the site and certainly did not object to hearing what they have to say. Genie is certainly beautiful. But all people are not professional web site designers, as some people here apparently think they should be. Sites are designed to communicate. This one does that. Perhaps a few years added to those critical of everyone wouldn’t hurt. Meanwhile, back on topic, I have mixed feelings about this AOL thing. It will be nice to be able to videoconference with lots of people, but we have to put up with the rest of the world forgetting who did this, not first, but best, before AOL got started.
Of course we can only hope that Wintel AOL IM users will be able to use iSight so that the quality of the AV stays high.