Front facing iPhone camera, motion detection systems detailed
MacRumors today details a series of patent applications filed by Apple which deal with motion and the iPhone. The first patent details movement as an input method. The example they use is flicking the phone to step through contacts. The iPhone already uses such an interface for "shake to shuffle" music as well as apps like Urban Spoon use this type of gesture to pick a random restaurant in the area.
Next, Apple details an idea of making the lettering/ GUI choices bigger while the iPhone detects it is in motion. This would make the iPhone easier to use while jogging or (hopefully not) driving. The example they cite is the contact list which enlarges as it detects motion (image below).
Perhaps most interestingly, however, a reader points out that Apple has a front facing camera on the patent application, meaning that we'll hopefully see this feature for video chatting in an upcoming model, maybe even in June? It is labeled "180" in the image below right above the earpiece.
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Comments (32)
I really don't see the point in doing this Video Chatting with someone. If you are going to take the time to do something like this fire up your MB or MBP and tether your phone to it and sit down and have a nice little chat.
It's not like you are going to walk around holding the phone out infront of your face while walking through a mall chatting, it would be just plain ridiculous, not to mention no one wants you holding the phone down near your chest so they see up your nose every time you look around or away.
There is a reason this has never been big, and the reasons are very obvious.
I guess I don't understand people wanting this functionality, There are a million other things I would rather have versus this.
Agree, it's one of those things that seem revolutionary until you try it. As a means to exchange information, it is useless overkill.
The idea of it might sell iPhones however - especially when competing devices also have this capability.
Both of you are not in touch with the idea behind this. true I'd like to see other features that make this more "corporate" compatible but its the kids who are doing video chats now, not 40 something mac lovers, you are no longer the target market. its all about instant, not booting up the mbp and starting up a tether and... and you get my point.
I want this less than other features but will find it very useful when I travel so I can see my kids plus my other family members that have moved out of state.
Agreed, try video chatting while sitting waiting for someone at the park or something to that extent. Video Chat is big in Asia and else where outside of the US.
Target Market is the key word here, we are not them.
Maybe Apple will include facial recognition technology for security. I think there would be more uses than just Video Chat.
Maybe Apple will include facial recognition technology for security. I think there would be more uses than just Video Chat.
Another overlooked reason is for taking pictures of yourself. How often do you see people holding out a camera/cellphone trying to judge where they are in the frame?
As for video chatting, I agree that it is probably not as popular as the vocal minority might make it seem... but to your point about pulling out your laptop, sometimes that isn't an option. If Apple wants this to be an all-in-one device (or at least a device that can do most of the things you would need a laptop on-the-go for) then video chat (skype, ichat, etc) might be worthwhile... it certainly doesn't HURT to have it... you just don't have to use it.
I disagree.......I think having the video chat option is key, and that many people would use a front facing camera for other things such as self portraits. Most phones that are coming out or recently released have a front facing camera. It should be Apple's next progression with the iPhone. With iChat integration, I think more people would use the application. I know I would use it while traveling to see and speak to my family. I don't always have access to my laptop or even want to carry my laptop on some trips, so there is a market out there for the iChat and front facing camera. I hope it's on the new iPhone this June!
I think that the front camera is labeled 168 not the 180 .. is it the 180 for the "infrared" that will be used while you are talking on the phone, the screens goes black [useless], so you won't accidentally touch the screen.
But anyways we should wait for June or at least some physical pictures of the new iPhone not just mockups ..
Take care :)
After reading the first page of the patent, it clearly states that the camera is labeled as 180 and that the proximity is labeled as 168. Reading is fundamental....
[0029]The mobile device 100 can also include a camera lens and sensor 180. In some implementations, the camera lens and sensor 180 can be located on the back surface of the mobile device 100. The camera can capture still images and/or video.
I would LOVE to have video iChat on the iPhone! My extended family lives all around the world and we almost never talk on the phone - video iChat is our primary communication tool. Most people who don't see the point are thinking of a different kind of discourse, like when you call a buddy to say "I'll see you at the restaurant at seven." You don't need video for that, granted. What it IS good for is having my three-year-old niece and eight-month-old nephew know who I am - I'm not just a disembodied voice - we're real to each other even when we're apart.
I've been waiting for the video iChat feature to buy an iPhone. Many times I've been doing a plumbing project or something on the house and thought "It would be great if I could get my dad's advice on this..." With an iChat enabled iPhone I would just point it at whatever I was talking about.
No way it will be on the June phone, but man that would be great!
"What do I need video chat for?" Hell, what do we need that new fangled voice telegraph contraption in people's homes for? They call it the tele-phone.
Isn't the regular telegrpah good enough?
This guy is soooo right I believe: http://images.google.be/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cpluv.com/www/medias/ja...
The same fot the new macbooks, Apple has lost their crispy-I wanna eat that computer-candylike touch
Whoever said video chat was irrelevant and boring either has no kids or doesn't travel on business. My wife is gorgeous and i love to look at her when i speak to her! In other words, i want this feature so bad it hurts. I travel on business the whole time. I tried video calling before, but it just didn't work as advertised. Now that 3G networks are properly up and running it is ready for prime time. So long as it is easy to use, it will be a mega hit. How i'd love to be able to see my kids when i speak to them.
This is what laptops are for, not phones. Not only would it drain battery life substantially by being connected to the 3G networking continuously uploading and downloading large streams, but also the work of encoding the video while recording.
Your little chat would last about 10 minutes, and then your phone would be dead.
Or you could tether it to your laptop and chat, while charging the phone back up and using the laptop's power to encode the video and chat, plus the quality would be so much better.
In order to add something you either have to shrink or remove something. What function/feature are you willing to sacrifice on the current phone to make room for this?
Audio Jack? Rear Facing Camera? Sim Card?
From an engineering stand point the phone cannot remain the same size and retain the same functions if it were to include a front facing camera, the technology isn't small enough and just plain isn't there.
This is for future devices that will take place in maybe another year or two, and by then people will have realized the feature isn't that great.
Let the negative points ensue.
a front facing camera would be nice but I think we won't see it in the near future. There always has to be an new Iphone at the horizon ;-)
~SARCASM~
OH yay
Video chat
yet anouther feature o2 will trow on the shelf beside the visual voicemail & conference calling and never give to there customers
~SARCASM~
I was hoping for a front-facing camera on the iPhone 3G but let's hope it comes with the device's 3rd Generation.
Sure, laptops are better for video-chat but, sometimes, taking a laptop out of the bag, booting it up, launching iChat and establishing a connection is not viable. Sometimes I leave my MBP at home and I want to talk to someone via iChat Video and having an iPhone with a camera would be great.
It's not an essential feature but it would be appreciated. I have a Nokia 5610 XpressMusic that has a front-facing camera and I only use it like 2 or 3 times per month but, although not necessary, it's good to have for that occasional videocall.
I didn't get the iPhone or the iPhone 3G (got a Nokia 3G phone and a 2G iPod Touch instead) because I thought they lacked a lot of features that low-priced phones have had for years (being videocalling one of them).
With OS 3.0 and (probably) a front-facing camera, I finally have a reason to get the iPhone.
I think having a front facing camera would be great. especially if it worked for video confrencing. I was in Kuwait earlier this year but didn't always have a laptop at my disposal and when I did it didn't have a webcam on it. to have been able to use a phone via a wifi signal for video messaging would have been great. as far as battery life is concerned, I can use my iPhone just fine while it is plugged in. so for those who travel but don't have laptops, but have access to wifi or cell service fast enough it would be great to have. I will never hold my breath for Apple to release these kind of functions. I like the idea of being excited for them when they actually are officially announced.
....if Apple incorporates OLED technology into their products. That, and minuature versions of the same advanced battery tech found in the unibody 17" macbook should be knockout combo for all the battery drain arguments.
It would also be a reason for Apple to debut an iphone that is a true multitasker.
I don't carry my macbook with me everywhere to use ichat.
Don't be ridiculous.
Besides, tethering right now is not for sure/not official. I know it's already on 3.0, and I've used it. But it's still not official. So let's think about all those with iPhones who aren't developers, or aren't into screwing around for tethering options.
Don't you think video conferencing would appealing to them?
I personally would like to do video conferencing with family.
I am in the US, but my family is in Australia.
I think iChat has been a bit neglected, and could be much more powerful with a little attention.
About battery drainage, do you really think that the next iPhone battery will be the same? I'm betting on atleast double the performance this june.
Yes, the battery will be the same. Same Size, and same power outputs. Only difference is lower power consuming parts. If Apple does anything with the battery they would try to shrink while keeping the same battery life that is present in current models and has been present since the first.
Video confrencing is not a viable feature, plus it's not coming to this version of the iPhone, the build sheet listing the parts doesn't allow for it.
Also, AT&T would have to allow in America, and currently the speed of their network would be horrible for it. This patent is purely for future devices. Like said earlier 2 years or so down the road.
it says in the Patent: "[0029]The mobile device 100 can also include a camera lens and sensor 180. In some implementations, the camera lens and sensor 180 can be located on the back surface of the mobile device 100. The camera can capture still images and/or video. "
Well with the front facing camera, there is gonna have to be iChat for the iPhone now. Hopefully. be nice to video chat anyone. iPhone to computer. But, would a iPhone to another phone, maybe even different network phone video chat work? I'm doubting it would, unless it's like the HTC. Be neat though! I'm definitely waiting now to cancel my Verizon contract after WWDC to see what comes out!
I think everyone is missing the point here. The two main issues here are battery life and clogging the network. This is how Apple gets around this for now. ichating will only be over wifi. Its safe to assume that when people are in a wifi area they also have acess to electricity. So plug in and ichat your life away. This is where it gets tricky, the clogging of the network. I think Apple and At&T are only going to allow video mms over the network. Think about it, you can record a video of yourself leaving a wacky message and the receiver opens it up as an mms. I think this is where the new iphone is going until the two issues mentioned above are really addressed. thanks...
I would have to agree with you. MMS Videos are a much better option versus actually chatting over the network as far as speed and performance go. Videos can be sent via MMS in the background where as a full on iChat app would require full processing power and severe battery life.
Ok, im not trying to be the smarta** here..but, I have an iphone 2,5G and today i tried to call someone on the speaker while being in a dark room. Exactly over the earpiece i saw a small red led which actually is the proximity "indicator" or else the ability to turn off the screen while holding it on my ear in order to save battery life. It seems to be a small circle exactly like that on point 180.
Sorry if im not using the english language properly, i tried :)
friendly regards.
L.P
Sounds like a great phone. Hopefully enough members of the open-source community would take notice and create great applications for it. Wish I could have one but, considering the costs of mobile internet in my country, maybe in a couple more years. I think I will wait and see how popular this phone becomes over the next year.
Phone Recorders from Spyville
Sounds like a great phone. Hopefully enough members of the open-source community would take notice and create great applications for it. Wish I could have one but, considering the costs of mobile internet in my country, maybe in a couple more years. I think I will wait and see how popular this phone becomes over the next year.
Phone Recorders from Spyville