New MacBook Pros are here, with spiffy HD cameras popped into their faces. Neat! HD video chat sounds fun. Less fun? The fact that Apple’s FaceTime app – you know, the program for the chat protocol they’re trying to make ubiquitous – is no longer free.
The 1.0 release – up scantly, from the previous (free) 0.9 version – adds virtually nothing in the way of new features, aside from 720p HD video call support. But that’s a given – the new MacBook Pros have HD cameras so that you can make HD calls. Apple didn’t put those in there so you can make goofy, high resolution portraits of yourself in Photo Booth – the HD camera is to give FaceTime a shot in the arm.
The new app is a buck. Which is very little. But this is a piece of software that’s now required to unlock one of the new models’ shiny touted features. Why would Apple put a dollar barrier – a psychologically high one – across the platform it’s trying to push into every one of its devices? Why would Apple charge anything to let you use every feature of computer you dropped well over a grand on? The extra dollar is trivial, yes, but it’s a confounding choice and insulting to users. Will there be a $1.19 app to eject a DVD next year?
Pat
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 8:53 AMAre we paying for the software upgrade or to unlock the hardware capability?
For instance, can we use other software to record / chat in 720?
Nads
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 9:23 AMI don’t see it as that big a deal, in a way it is a nice cheap way to get people who havn’t tried the mac app store to give it a go,you know put in their credit cards etc.. It may make it more likely new customers will use the app store in the future.
It’s definitely more then Apple just wanted to take another dollar from you.
nicky
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 11:04 AMNads: It’s definitely more then Apple just wanted to take another dollar from you.
lol…ok
Tim
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 9:48 AMPay your “essential” dollar first up and suddenly Apple has your credit card details and further app purchases are just a click away…
cleverclogs
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 9:58 AMProbably so they get more customers used to buying things from the app store, and once you input your shiny credit card that first time, it’ll be a helluvalot easier for you to start buying other things willy-nilly.
Travis New
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 10:15 AMIt’s crazy and unfortunately people will pay for it. Personally I think it’s a dumb when there are so many other great video calling programs out there as well aside form just “facetime”.
I would like to say I hope this bites them in the arse. Kinda reminds me of how Intel and NVIDIA would sell the same hardware but have firmware restrictions on them.
Mark Ampersand
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 2:17 PMPretty sure I read the App will be pre-installed on new MacBooks. You’re only paying if you want to upgrade.
Anthony Tam
Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 12:11 AMIt is, just like iLife isn’t an additional cost.
I’m wondering, will I be able to continue using my beta version or will Apple cease it from working?
Dean Woodyatt
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 3:29 PM…it’s cheap enough to be disposable and provides sales data!
i.e. they’ll now know how many actually use it
BCK
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 7:58 PMWhy not just use skype? for free?
Or is facetime needed to unlock the cam?
Iso
Friday, March 11, 2011 at 11:19 PMJust go to: http://www.misolo.com
Its a free videochat community and much better!