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Guess what? More iPhone news! Apple proudly stated last night that iPhone users will finally be able to make FaceTime calls over 3G — and eventually 4G — breaking the bars of the Wi-Fi prison the video-calling app was locked in.
But with us Brits missing out on some features in iOS 6, it wasn’t clear whether this new feature will in fact reach our shores. Most of the UK’s major networks — Orange, T-Mobile, EE and O2 — have, however, confirmed to Wired UK that iPhone owners will indeed be able to see their loved ones in their smart phone screens when the new device rolls out on 21 September.
The data you use for FaceTiming will simply come from your regular data bundle though — so be extremely cautious as it’s sure to eat away at your monthly megabytes at an alarming rate.
Vodafone is going for a different tactic. It says there will be an option to add a 2GB FaceTime package to your existing mobile plan for £10, or it’ll be included if you’re already paying £40 or more every month. This hopefully will reduce the likelihood of mistakenly using all your data and waking up a month later with a bank-breaking bill, although it will increase the cost of your contract.
iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S owners can rejoice, but the iPhone 4 will be left out in the cold– just as it was with Siri. The iPhone 4 certainly has the capability to use FaceTime over 3G, as shown by the many hacks available on jailbroken devices that enable this very function. In response to criticism over the lack of iPhone 4 Siri, Apple’s response was that the vocal personal assistant required too much processing power for the 4 to cope. This surely cannot be the case for FaceTime over 3G.
What do you think about 3G FaceTime in the UK? Happy, or not bothered? do you own an iPhone 4 and wish you could join the crowd? Let us know in the comments or over on the Facebook wall.
