Apple Computer Inc. and America Online Inc. on Thursday announced a new level of compatibility between the companies' instant messaging applications, iChat AV and AIM 5.5 for the PC. With updates released today PC and Mac users will enjoy the benefit of video conferencing between the two platforms. One industry analyst said today that Apple stands to benefit greatly from the relations as it moves out of its niche market.
"With the introduction of iChat AV in Mac OS X Panther and the iSight camera, Apple revolutionized the way people communicate with each other over the Internet," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, in a statement. "Now iChat AV users can video conference with their AOL buddies around the world who use PCs."
Source: MacCentral
Interesting to note is that if a PC user wants to buy an iSight, they would have to use another mic, even though the iSight has a mic. That is apparently a Mac thing.
I am really glad to hear this, now the other 95% of the IM world can video chat. Of course now they need to go buy a video camera.
Question: Does this mean that if my PC friends update to AIM 5.5 that they and I can voice chat iChat <-> AIM?
Originally posted on Breaking Windows.
Article comments
1 - Michael Croft
I love the voice chat option. I don't have a camera, but I do have a mic. While it's pretty lousy over dialup, if you have broadband, it's better than phoning your loved ones who are far away.
I picked up the beta, so i'll see if any of my windows using friends get the AIM upgrade.
Hmm. If financial service companies are required to record Instant Messages as if they were email but are not required to record phone calls from their employees, where do Voice IM services fit?