“9 to 5 Mac reports that one of its readers has passed along a screenshot of an iOS 5 dialog box suggesting that Apple is preparing to support FaceTime video calling over cellular networks with the new operating system set for release this fall,” Eric Slivka reports for MacRumors.
“Official FaceTime support over cellular networks will almost certainly require individual carriers to also be on board in much the same way that carriers have needed to support Internet tethering and other features that have the potential to significantly increase demand on their networks,” Slivka reports.
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Lava_Head_UK” and “Lynn W.” for the heads up.]
Who cares? Doing FaceTime over 3G is like #100 down on my most wanted features list for iOS 5 that it’s a blip lost in an ocean of higher priorities.
““Official FaceTime support over cellular networks will almost certainly require individual carriers to also be on board in much the same way that carriers have needed to support Internet tethering and other features that have the potential to significantly increase demand on their networks,” Slivka reports.”
Can you say “MVNO”? I knew you could. Or better still, try “Let’s buy Sprint!”
Zeke, I said the same thing nearly 3 years ago and that is exactly what I meant by the other carriers forcing Apple’s hand! 😉
Apple has the cash hoard to buy up early LTE-Advanced network gear and chipsets and do a flash roll-out of that true 4G network (100 Mbps to endpoints in motion, 1 Gbps to fixed endpoints) before anyone else. They can use the poor performance and claims of overtaxed infrastructure by the incumbents to get regulatory approval. In a moment of chutzpah, Apple can agree to lease bandwidth out to the incumbents at a low margin to support their advancement. Meanwhile, FaceTime, iCloud, etc. are all extremely well supported (“they just work”) and the world will never be the same.
You’ve almost got it! Apple doesn’t want to be the only one putting up the money to build out this system. If others get in, NO ONE ‘owns’ the network and a reasonable price can then be charged for maintenance and upkeep.
This is a huge over simplification of the wireless problem. Apple would quickly find how difficult it is to provide adequate coverage, due to political “not in my backyard” attitudes that prevent cell tower construction or infrastructure augments to add network capacity. I do not believe Apple wants into this business space. I do believe they will have political interests to remove bandwidth road blocks currently being deployed by all the major providers. Our US digital freedom is a matter of political will to invest in and clear hurdles to building out the bandwidth needed.
One word…ooVoo
OK, maybe that’s not really a word…..but it already does 3G vidoecalls pretty good.
No, they won’t support it because they will want to offer their own service and charge extra for it. That’s why they implemented data caps to slow down Apple’s juggernaut.
Apple is doing this to force their hands. Steve knows that sooner or later they will have invest in or buy outright a carrier. People have been wondering why Apple has such a huge cash stockpile, wonder no more.
Hello Verizon… we’re assuming it’s ok if we enable Facetime over 3G on your network, because AT&T/T-Mobile doesn’t mind.
Hello AT&T… we’re assuming it’s ok if we enable Facetime over 3G on your network, because Verizon doesn’t mind.
Apple buys AT&T, offers iPhone plans with unlimited data for $29.99 a month.
Buying AT&T would never clear anti-trust concerns, buying Sprint, on the other hand, probably would because Sprint gets the iPhone to be competitive with the other carriers and Apple gets a “dumb pipe” that doesn’t impede their current and future plans. The other carriers will be forced to change their data plans to compete, especially if Apple still supplies them with “iGear” and thereby negates anti-competitive concerns.
Something needs to change. The bottleneck now for innovation are the carriers/network/revenue system. Think of what Apple can really do with their ecosystem for everyone without that bottleneck. It’s unfortunate that we have to use them to be truly mobile. Too bad WiFi Is not available anywhere you go unlike cellular which you can connect to at almost any part of the world.
I know there are many, many iPhone users that don’t use Skype. But I have been able to Skype video on my phone for a long time over 3G.
I’m wondering if you can FaceTime to PC’s and not just to other iPhones. Big drawback for me if not.
FaceTime is available for i devices and Macs, but I don’t think it’s on windows ar all. iPhone to Mac works great!
Carriers will love this. After, of course, you hand them your first born child.
In Canada, we get tethering, hotspot, and all other data eating features at no extra charge. It’s all just data use on your plan.
3G FaceTime would be very nice and make the service useful, instead being a feature that is rarely used.
Of course our networks also deliver 7 Mbps over 3G currently. The lack of network infrastructure in the US should not hold back the functionality and capability of any device!!!
We may pay more per month but at least we don’t get raped for features that, if a given network can support when designed and built properly, should be included.
What exactly is a ‘dropped call’…..?
A dropped call is what sometimes happens to an iPhone on the Rogers/Fido network.
If you jailbreak, you could always do FaceTime over 3G. (not advocating that)
I used too, there was NO degradation of the video over 3G compared to wifi.
This was never a problem on apples end, always was a carrier thing.
I don’t think Apple will buy a huge phone/Internet provider because that’s not part of their business model. Steve Jobs prefers simplicity, and Sprint and AT&T are not simple operations, but gargantuan behemoths that are too complex to run on a worldwide basis. But I could be wrong.
Look up who the partners are in the Wi-Max Consortium. It’s not so much about buying Sprint as it is about getting others to see the need for reasonably priced access for all.
your link goes to MacRumors
I’m wondering how many here in the US, specifically those who frequent this site who were against the idea, have started to have a change of heart on the improvement of our national infrastructure, particularly as it pertains to high-speed data access. 😉
This Fall? Too long to wait!
Towers? Wireless Networks?
Do you know how hard it is to get municipalities to approve construction of a cellphone tower? an electric substation? a gas regulation station?
Yeah right. Not saying it couldn’t be done, but red tape galore.