Google still the word on iPhone search box

Those damn Jetsons

Video calling might be "new" in the US, where the mobile phone networks are, not to put too fine a point on it, not exactly cutting edge and not particularly good value for money, but they facility has been available in the rest of the world for years.

Nokia 6680????

That phone was commercially available 5 years ago and supported video calls. Nice to see Apple still trailing the competition by at least 5 years.

Research first

Since 2006 I have had phones that provided video calls. This was LONG before the iPhoney was even a blip on the radar.

Typical Apple, it only works to another iPhoney user. Forget about standards; they want to go their own way.

Umm

You realise of course that Three do tons of mobile phones which, you know, use the 3G network to make video calling, it's a feature that's been around for several years, it's not exactly new tech, it's very old tech and uses the 3G Network so you can, I don't know, make real video calls to any other person who has a 3G mobile that can accept video calls, whilst you're out and not stuck near a Wi-Fi point.

If memory serves me, Amstrad made a video-phone for home use many years ago, way back in the 90's, so go ahead, claim Apple got their first, I'll go pick up my Sony and make a video call whilst you think of a suitable reply......

I am not a fanboi

just wanted to get that out of the way before i start.

Yes, many phones have been 'able' to do video calls for some time, my old N97 was one of them, but there are many reasons why it didnt take off.

People keep saying "only over WiFi..." i think this is an admission from Apple that they have built something that not all of the networks can handle, look how much trouble AT&T and to a lesser extent o2 had with the massive uptake of 3G use when the 2nd gen iphone was released. As such, buy having video calling restricted to wifi, it takes the burden off the cellco's meaning that other (more important?) services, such as data and voice calls won't suffer as a result.

Que the, "but all other video mobiles use 3G, so why cant the iPhone". I'll give you my opinion in 2 parts.

1) Because currently so few people use video calling that its not caused problems over 3G, you wait till millions of Iphone users wanna do likewise.

2) The quality of current video calling is abysmal, where as I assume Apple are of the opinion that 'if your going to do something its worth doing right' and because of that, the quality 'should' be significantly better, which would in turn, put a massive strain on the cellco's, which would not be present over WiFi.