Skype offers iPhone video calls over 3G Skype has today updated its iPhone app to offer video calling over both 3G and Wi-Fi, trumping Apple's own FaceTime software. Owners of the latest iPod Touch will also be able to make Skype-to-Skype video calls over Wi-Fi. The iPad and older iPods, which both lack a camera, will be able to receive video. The app and the calls …
They APPROVED it you friggin trolls!
Oh, and the video over 3G, lol, its not a "Skype beat us to it" its a "it's laughable it even works" In fact, it BARELY works, even noting the frame-rate is crippled, and that the resolution is lower than FaceTime, its even more choppy and fails to remain connected reliably, even on HSDPA.
At least FaceTime does work, fairly reliably, over 3G care of MiFi. The reason Apple (and AT&T) are holding back on open 3G video call support has little to do with contracts between them, pricing issue, lost revenue, etc, it has to do with the fact that cell latency (300-500ms) just does not handle video chat well at currently available speeds. Apple is a stickler for making a thing work well in all situations, and video over 3G simply does not work well, so they currently leave it out. They could cut the resolution and framerate as others do on other networks, but then why bother?
Tried this inside my own network with good WAN speeds - all I can say is the quality leaves a lot to be desired. Have read a few others saying the same. Facetime still wipes the floor with skype when using over wifi. Ok so it can do 3G but is that really a bonus when we have all the restrictive data plans in the UK now?
Apple clearly was aware of the capability when they approved the app.
Further, this is just more proof of point, having tried it, of why Apple made a GOOD CHOICE to not allow their own face-time over 3G. The 3G latency and limited bandwidth simply can not handle a stable and high quality video feed. Even on HSDPA on both ends, it's still choppy and unreliable.
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FaceTime is based on existing standards, and Apple have made the implementation open (not open source, BUT the spec is open - it should be relatively easy to create a "FaceTime compatible" system, especially as most of it is indeed based off existing standards.
Skype is not open.
Seems pretty simple really, I know the facts here don't agree with the general perception of Apple, but there it is.
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