Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Apple Planning Video-Call iPhone

Posted by Soulskill on from the was-blind-but-now-iSee dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The recently awarded iPhone patent contains hidden claims which indicate Apple is planning to bring video calling and recording features to the iPhone, according to InfoWeek blogger Alex Wolfe. Buried within the 'embodiments' section of patent number 7,479,949 is this: 'In some embodiments, the functions may include telephoning, video conferencing, e-mailing, instant messaging, blogging, digital photographing, digital videoing, web browsing, digital music playing, and/or digital video playing.' Wolfe also cites language indicating Apple is aware that having a rear-facing camera is an impediment towards video calls (and also taking pictures of yourself.): 'In some embodiments, an optical sensor is located on the front of the device so that the user's image may be obtained for videoconferencing while the user views the other video conference participants on the touch screen display.' Screen caps of the patent drawing are also available."

2 of 268 comments (clear)

  1. Sounds like any 3G phone? by aliquis · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why is this news?

    A 3G phone which can do video calls!? Omg!! ...

    A phone which can use its camera for storing videos and which can play music? No shit!

    I had assumed the iPhone could already do video-calls, kinda shitty the 3G one can't (if that's really so.)

  2. Keep the camera opposite the screen by thbb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Back in the 90's, I did some work for the Ontario Telepresence Project. We did lots of studies on videoconferencing, shared mediaspaces...

    What strikes me given the relative lack of outcome of the project, compared to the ubiquity of today's camera phones, is that the Telepresence project had it wrong when it wanted to have people *face* each other during conversations.

    It turns out, this is not what we want. Staring at your interlocutor's face is not what you do in a usual conversation, it's even embarassing. You look at a shared point of interest. Turning the camera the opposite side of the screen was the way to go. First, you could use the cell phone as a camera, and second, in a phone conversation, it's much more useful to say "look at this", than to offer a nice view of you're hairy nose.

    Or, to put it like St. Exupery:
    Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction...