iPhone to feature video recording and conferencing?

If you were among the throngs of people complaining about iPhone's lack of video recording, you might be in luck. Actually, Apple may be going one better than just video capture (a feature that other phones already have, I might add). It seems Patent No. 7,479,949 also includes a few tidbits about integrating video conferencing, as well as recording, on the handset.

When InformationWeek and others took a close look at the patent, they noticed some verbiage referring to the much-drooled-about video functionality as a possible ?embodiment? of the device. Not only that, but the paperwork even talks about the hardware issues involved in video conferencing, like a forward-facing camera. (If you have an iPhone, you know that it's currently on the back side, which wouldn't work if you want to both see and be seen in a video call.) There is even a diagram that clearly shows a video record button.



Via InformationWeek


Some pundits and media pros on the Interweb are predicting that iPhone video capability could arrive soon. Like, really, really soon. Maybe even as soon as the next generation of the iPhone.

This recent revelation has suddenly relegated Apple's possible lawsuit against Palm to the second-tier news pit. (Basically Cupertino thinks the Pre's touchscreen and UI are just big iPhoney knock-offs, but Palm begs to differ). Actually, this recent development could be more devastating. Nothing like grabbing the spotlight from the new Pre just as it gets its legs under it.

I keep wondering if this is just a superfluous piece of iPhone gossip, yet another reference to something that MAY happen, but will never materialize. (After all, there were plenty of people who thought last year's 3G model would have video capability.) And it still could very well be. But what has really grabbed my attention in all this is the fact that MediaBistro, a journalists? website, has picked up the story. That's just fascinating. I guess the mere possibility of iPhone video is a news story too big to be confined by the geek community. I?m not sure if that gives it any more credibility, but it certainly makes me look twice.

Personally, I?m torn as to whether I want video conferencing on my phone. On the one hand, it's about time. Europe has had this capability for awhile now. But on the other ? well, shoot! I've been getting by doing business calls in my bathrobe. Just one of the many perks of working at home. Or at least it was. Looks like I may have some clothes shopping to do soon.