Apple began airing their first iPhone 4 commercial last night, an extract of the FaceTime feature video they debuted at WWDC 2010. The original iPhone 2G focused on features, the internet in your pocket, music on your phone. After the launch of the App Store, iPhone 3G focused on disparate apps for (this and) that for a while, until later on in the iPhone 3GS cycle they shifted slightly into apps for specific use cases. iPhone 4 brings it back around to the beginning but with less blatant techno-wow and more sentimentality. It isn't about the cool feature, its about real people -- a new father, a graduate and her grandparents, a couple using sign-language -- making a real, visible, emotional connections.
Some of you have had your iPhone 4 over the weekend now, plenty of time to try out Apple's "one more thing" for 2010 -- FaceTime.
Have you made any FaceTime video calls? Many? Can you see this becoming part of your routine? Is it a fad destined only for geeks and sexting 2.0 er... long distance romances? Is it the next great step in communications or just the next great scandal for some poor hollywood star?
You know the drill -- weigh in above, give us the details below.
Apple has set up a service for new iPhone 4 owners who want to taste the glorious future that is FaceTime, but whose Luddite friends won't cooperate by getting iPhones of their own. Just call 1-888-FACETIME and cheerful Apple service representative will answer, initiate FaceTime with you, and walk you through the feature.
If you give it a try, let us know how it works for you. Just don't keep calling -- it's not iChatRoulette, okay?
How do you place a call on hold when you're both on iPhone 4 and Wi-Fi, and the FaceTime button has replaced the Hold button, but you're not using FaceTime?
Jonathan Cowperthwait emailed Apple's CEO to find out:
During many voice calls on my new iPhone 4, the "hold" icon has been replaced with a FaceTime icon, even when I'm not talking to a fellow iPhone 4 user. During such calls, how do I put someone on hold? Yes, there's still a mute button, but these functions are discrete (which is why iOS ≤ 3 had both buttons...).
Leanna and Chad go hands-on -- and faces on! -- with iPhone 4 FaceTime video calling
One of the big game-changers of the iPhone 4 is FaceTime, Apple's version of video-calling. Chad and I were very excited to try it out and recorded our experience.
A few things first. You can initiate a FaceTime call either from the person's Contact entry, or while on a phone call. It's incredibly simple and easy to do -- except for one glaring omission Dieter and Marcus already noted...
You can't tell when the person you want to video call is available (on their iPhone 4 on Wi-Fi) so you can FaceTime them. If you're on a call chances are they'll tell you whether they're ready or not, but if you try it without asking, or from the Contact entry, it will time-out if it can't connect.
We should also point out that you can enable and disable FaceTime in the Settings. This is great for privacy but if it's off and you don't know it's off, it can be frustrating. Needless to say, if you want to use FaceTime, make sure it's enabled.
We had to unbox the iPhone 4 for you all even though it's moved beyond "exciting tech blog event" to "necessary ritual." We left the burning incense out, though, and replaced it with some quick comparisons to the EVO 4G and the Nexus One. Toss in a quick FaceTime video chat and feature discussion and a quick look at the Bumper accessory and you're looking at an unboxing extravaganza.
We'll be bringing you more iPhone 4 impressions, pictures, videos, and thoughts from the entire TiPb team for the rest of the day, week, and - heck - year. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, video after the break!
Even though Wi-Fi is required to use FaceTime, because it can be initiated from a voice call it was unclear if it would also use minutes from your voice plan. Apple has confirmed with Business Insider that "the voice call ends as soon as the FaceTime call connects," so it will not cost you voice minutes to use FaceTime.
Everything you need to know about Apple's new iPhone 4
iPhone 4 is the most significant hardware revision to Apple's widescreen iPod, breakthrough internet communicator, and phone since the original iPhone 2G was released in 2007. But how significant is it? Apple CEO Steve Jobs said there were over 100 new features and singled out 8 for special attention. We'll take the most interesting of both and see just how important they are, after the break.
After Apple's announcement of FaceTime during the WWDC 2010 keynote, we knew it was only a matter of time before talk of Skype video chat would arise. Just two days later, an insider at Skype has told Pocket-Lint that they "would welcome the opportunity to work with Apple" when it comes to bringing Skype video calling to the new iPhone 4 scheduled to release on June 24.
