iPhone 4 Redefines "FaceTime"

[iphone4idiots]

It's not legal for them to take it away from existing customers so they are all "grandfathered" in. 4G for AT&T is a LONG way off.. and if you do some research top of the line 3G is faster in some cases than the current Spring 4G network so the advantages are null and most of it is a marketing ploy.

Really, that can't be true. What I'm saying is not that they take it away, but when it runs out they say sign the new contract or find a new carrier. That can't be illegal. Especially when they see stats like the top 2% of unlimited data plan users are taking up 25% of the bandwidth. Not sure what the numbers are, but I'm sure there are bandwidth hogs out there downloading things all day long on 3G.

[mamirza]

I would not be surprised if Apple show us left and punch with the right. I mean a very hard jailbreak or new boot loader. I don't know I have a feeling that those guys who put effort in to jail-breaking the ios 4 may be disappointed along with us

Let's be optimistic, and look for what comes up !

[hadzo]

As many have said already I too am not impressed with this feature. Simply because its iPhone 4 to iPhone 4. At least that is the impression I’m getting.

[Happy Noodle Boy]

It's not. Jobs specifically mentioned on the keynote that facetime will be an open standard. So while at launch it will only be an iPhone 4 only deal, there will be nothing stopping developers of integrating facetime to their applications.

It may not be the simplest of solutions, but it's not a closed-system.

FYI by applications I don't mean on the phone. I'm referring to PC apps like skype/messenger/etc.

[Poseidon79]

You contract running out or upgrading or buying a new device does NOT obligate your to change rate plans. AT&T's Facebook account has confirmed this. AT&T cannot legally force you out of your unlimited plan. All they can do is change the rules for NEW customers.

AT&T New Wireless Data Plans

[Happy Noodle Boy]

That said, they do have clauses in the terms of services where try are able to simply close your account at no penalty/cost to you. This is only for rare cases like if you move out of the coverage area into a roaming area where there's simply no AT&T service. They'll send you a notice that they can't provide you service and that they'll close the account in a couple of days, giving you time to port numbers / move to another carrier.

I'm not saying they will do this with iPhone users, just wanted to clarify that while they legally CAN'T change your plan, they COULD drop you like a sack of rocks :P

[pacmac]

I wonder how much data will this suck up if you do it over 3G ? Must have unlimited data /jailbroken if your going to use this a lot.

[laz305]

any takers I bet my 3GS AT&T will secretively charge you for facetime

[chrisrotolo]

what about confrence call/ 3 or more callers? not likely out of the box.. I thought I saw some early leaked photo of video conferencing on iphone4?
what about IM intergration etc.. for windows live and hotmail IM, etc.? maybe app store apps will support it.

We will need one J/b facetime app that does it all.. I have faith. I think it will be done.

[laz305]

apple manages to make old things sound like new so they sell like crazy. if this wasnt the iPhone no one would care about video chat.

my thoughts exactly, this video calling is almost a century old and they make it seem like they just invented it lol

[mobay]

looking forward to the jailbreak!