iPhone HD to get video conferencing on June 22
Yesterday, the WSJ posted a rumor about a new CDMA iPhone being built for Verizon noting that it would be thinner and ship with a faster processor, no surprises there.
Then Engadget added two juciy tidbits, specifically that the new iPhone will be called "iPhone HD" (a spiffy name after the iPad debacle) and that it will be announced on June 22, 2010 (a Tuesday, natch).
John Gruber adds some details to mix, but it's not clear whether they're based on sources or just deduction. Specifically, he mentions that new iPhone handset will come with a A4-family CPU system-on-a-chip (SoC), 960 x 640 display, front-facing camera, and third-party multitasking courtesy if iPhone OS 4.0.
So, what's with the name? Turns out that a 960 x 640 display is double the current iPhone resolution (480 x 320) and would do a fantastic job of displaying 720p (HD) video. 9 to 5 Mac notes that the rumored iPhone resolution is exactly 100 smaller than the 960 x 540 resolution native to iFrame, a new video format that Apple released in October 2009 tucked away in a sleepy iMovie 8.0.5 update.
I think that 9 to 5 Mac nailed it:
All that footage that is being shot and edited on iMovie and other Apple tools for iFrame resolution will go perfectly on new iPhones and, logically iPod touches (WITH CAMERAS!) in the Fall.
If you think about it, Apple's has to release a higher resolution screen to compete with newer and screens found in the Droid, Nexus One, EVO 4G, and HD2. And what better way to beat them than to release a front-facing camera and a slick video conferencing app?
My question is: given AT&T's ridiculously expensive SMS rates, how are they going to charge for something as bandwidth crushing as video conferencing? Will it be counted against the "unlimited" 5GB data cap per month, or will it be billed separately. Whatever AT&T does, at minimum it will have to remain competitive with Verizon or risk losing a ton of iPhone customers as their contracts come up for renewal.
Photo: Ke5ter.com