“Apple plans to integrate iMessage into iChat, combining iOS 5 and OS X features, as the company competes against Facebook Chat and BlackBerry Messenger,” Joe Arico reports for Mobiledia.
“Strings of code found in iChat for OS X Lion show the potential for ‘time delivered’ and ‘time read’ stamps to appear next to messages, functionalities previously only associated with iMessage,” Arico reports. “The uncovered code suggests iMessage will be compatible with iChat when it launches later this year.”
Arico reports, “The feature will allow users to start a conversation on their mobile phone, go to work and continue it on their computer and even transition it to an iPad.”
Read more in the full article here.
iLike!
This is gonna be a killer, if true!
Please Apple, do it!
Now if Apple would just make iChat, iMessage, and FaceTime the same friggin’ app.
2nd this!
Agreed! Great way to compete with Skype (and thus Microsoft).
Agreed
friggin’ third it!
The iMessage halo. “Apple plans to integrate iMessage into iChat, combining iOS 5 and OS X features” giving you an easy to use seamless way between Apple OS X and iOS devices.
This will not be what non-OS X and non-iOS computers and devices will experience. People will not want to continue this mixed almost compatible world that they have to work with. When they decide to replace that old computer or device, they will want the ecosystem that just works together they way it should.
The Apple Tsunami is here.
I’m reading Apple’s explanation of the iMessage feature. Looks like audio and video is not an option at this point, but I think is a possibility down the road. I can see the telco’s fighting this one. Audio and video chat on 3G? 4G? Still not with FaceTime.
I believe FaceTime has that capability over 3G, just not in the U.S. due to carrier restrictions.
FaceTime works just fine over 3G in the USA. Just don’t tell that to the Baby Bell that provides my phone service.
Yes, please integrate iMessage, Facetime and iChat.
Then please integrate iCal, To-Dos and Notes so they all sync across devices and not using Mail.
Agree on both points!
I wish iOS 5 came out… Notification center and iMessage are what I am looking forward to!
Don’t get your hopes up. Apple’s recent trend is to tie all new features to new hardware “so they can’t be copied with a simple software update” (as Steve Jobs once said).