Apple Planning Video-Call iPhone

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."

Comments

Transparenty iphone?

[Hatta]

An iphone with a camera opposite the screen could display an image of what's on the other side of the phone, making it seem transparent. Useless, but it would be a cool effect.

Code already in OS X?

[Ohio Calvinist]

It would seem like a majority of this work is already done as between iChat and Quicktime; most if not all of this functionality in OS X since at least 10.3 (maybe earlier). It would seem all they have to do as the poster said, would be to be able to capture the image on the front of the device or have some sort of add-on and code a front-end for the smaller screen.

I am not surprised Apple didn't release this on 1.x models under Edge and the weaker battery, but even on 3G at a low-scale, it would seem like it would be "good enough" for most applications. I wonder if their problem lies with the agreement with AT&T since they are working to prevent VoIP on the platform. It would be interesting if the carrier could detect packets on a protocol, or maintain the servers that connect the video-calls and charge wireless minutes for this kind of traffic. However, I think carriers ought to move away from the call-minutes model in favor of a flat-fee, as in most calling situations I am in (M2M or Nights/Weekends) that is effectively what they are doing. Though I am sure their two biggest cash cows are overages and SMS, which has been discussed before.

Great news!

[Anonymous Coward]

Nokia phones did it for years.

But no, this is "THE IPHONE" we are talking about - that's BIG news, you know...

Re:Why not sooner?

[nine-times]

It's typical Apple maner to have a good idea, implement it fast and then leave the product and not develop it further.

That doesn't seem right to me at all. In fact, it seems so wrong that I'm trying to figure out whether you're trolling, being sarcastic, or just don't know what you're talking about.

They were working on the iPhone for something like 7 years before release. It's not a hastily put-together product, and they've continued to refine it and add features ever since it was released. Are you sure that you're not just annoyed that they haven't yet chosen to implement features that you want?

Re:Keep the camera opposite the screen

[flitty]

Infinite Jest, the David Foster Wallace novel goes through the scenario of "video-telephony".

It starts out as a novelty, everyone wants it, realizes they what they look like on the video, which leads to people wearing Telephone masks, so they don't look so awful and can use the telephone right out of the shower, etc.

Next, comes the realization that most people are doing other things while talking on the phone, and 100% attention to the conversation is only an illusion both parties have on both sides of the conversation, if you can only hear their voice. If you can see someone using a computer and talking on the phone at the same time, you begin to question their interest in you. Everybody does this now, but nobody thinks too much that the party on the other end of the line is only dedicating half their attention to the conversation, as you are.

This leads to cardboard cutouts of better looking versions of yourself being transmitted, and then eventually high quality celebrity Avatars are used instead of video, and then, people realize, they might as well just use a sound only phone.