If you use an Android phone and have close friends or family who use iPhones, you might feel like you're missing out on quick video calls through FaceTime. But fret not, because it's not only possible to hop in a FaceTime call on Android, it's really easy too.

As an Android user, you still can't initiate a FaceTime call, but you can answer a FaceTime via a link sent from an iPhone user. There are a few FaceTime features native to iPhones that Android users can't utilize, but you'll be able to join the FaceTime with your camera and microphone — here's how to do it.

How to FaceTime friends on Android

In order for an Android user to join a FaceTime call, a request link needs to be created by an iPhone, iPad, or Mac running at least iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or MacOS 12 Monterey, respectively. Once the link is created in the FaceTime app, it can be shared directly to an Android user in their messages app.

As soon as an Android user gets the link, there are only a few steps to take before starting the FaceTime call.

1. Open the FaceTime link in your messages app. Depending on your messages app, the link might open immediately in your internet browser, or you might need to tap the link and then choose to copy, share, or open it in your internet browser.

2. Allow your browser to access your camera and microphone for the call.

3. Enter your name, and tap Continue.

4. Select Join to hop into the FaceTime call.

At this point, the person who created the FaceTime link needs to accept your request to join via the FaceTime app. Once the host approves your entry to the call, you're good to go!

iPhone users can use all FaceTime features like normal, including Memoji stickers, filters, and in-app screenshots. Android users, however, will only be able to turn the camera and microphone on and off, switch camera view, and take manual screenshots without notifying other users.

When you're ready to leave the call, make plans for your next FaceTime call and simply tap the Leave button.

FaceTime is just one of those things that iPhones can do that Androids can’t — at least, not natively and without an iPhone initiating the call. Of course, there are third-party platforms that allow video calls with similar features to be initiated from both iPhone and Android users, but none are quite as polished as FaceTime.

Apple has to be one of the greatest group of inventors of our age… Right? Think of all the products it has brought to market, the smartphone, the tablet, and the smartwatch! Think of all the features they’ve created like that one that does all the video calls and the new Apple Watch gesture where you make “Quack quacks” with your hands!

It’s true! Without the iPhone there would be no smartphones, without the iPad there would be no tablets, and if it wasn’t for the Apple Watch you’d still be fumbling around with your Casio calculator timepiece as you punch in “58008” and giggle your way into a pressure headache.

Or, maybe not...

Apple gets a lot of credit for the products it brings to market, some of which is entirely justified. But they’re also often credited with being visionaries and pioneers who created those markets in the first place — and that could not be further from the truth. The brand’s popularity is unquestionable, its commitment to putting high-quality products into the hands of consumers is undeniable, and its historical revisionism is frankly unparalleled.

I’m not sure if years of praise for their genius has gone to Apple’s head and they truly believe the inferences they make about their products. Or, if Apple is gaslighting us all into believing the products that came before its own are simply Mandela Effect mirages that had no real influence or impact.

Either way, I wanted to set the record straight. So, here are seven times Apple took the credit for reinventing the wheel and how they keep getting away with it.

7 times Apple took credit for reinventing the wheel 

1. Smartphones

The iPhone — the first hand-held, portable, cellular phone featuring a touchscreen with a calendar, clock, notes, address book, games, email, and a calculator. Except it wasn’t, I just described the IBM Simon, which was released in 1994. “Aha!” I hear you say, “Then the iPhone was the first full-color, capacitive touchscreen smartphone with a camera!” Sadly, that was the LG Prada — the device that many believe inspired the iPhone. And by ‘inspired,’ I do mean was ripped off by.

“Fine! The App Store then! That has to have been the first mobile app store, it’s literally called the App Store.” Wrong again, my friend. That honor goes to Japanese brand NTT DoCoMo who launched i-mode (no relation) in 1999. Even in the era of the smartphone, Apple was pipped to the post by Danger Inc., Handango, and Nokia. Hell, even that little slide-to-unlock feature was kicking around three years before Apple made it a thing on the iPhone too. 

2. Tablets

Tablets have been around since the 80s, Apple even made one itself in 1993 called the Apple Newton. That’s clever, isn’t it? But these tablets were far removed from the iPad that would launch in 2010. The iPad was the tablet that made tablets a thing. Never had so much potential been found in such a small and portable device before.

The iPad had an operating system, a color display, apps, a music player, and even a web browser! If only Microsoft hadn’t been making Windows XP tablets for the better part of 7 years prior to the iPad release, all that would’ve been absolute madness to drop on the human race at once. We’d have gone stark raving mad and burnt the Apple leadership at the stake for being witches. Thankfully, we’d seen most of it all before. We’d just never seen a man in a turtleneck and jeans give it to us.

3. Smartwatches

Do you remember 2014’s introduction of the Apple Watch? The thunderous swell of excitement as Tim Cook announced they have “One more thing…” to reveal to us all? That was the day Apple unveiled its wearable, the sequel to the timepiece worn by humans since the 1810s. It literally took the world 204 years to develop anything better, and it was Apple who did it.

Except it wasn’t, was it? Long-standing rival Samsung beat Apple to it with the Gear range of smartwatches — some of which ran as completely separate cellular devices and even had a camera in them. Even Google got ahead of Apple with Android Wear. Nike, Pebble, and Sony got there first too. New ground had long been broken, all Apple had to do was watch, copy the best bits of each, add a bit of polish – then get on stage to act like time itself hadn’t existed before the creation of this device. And wouldn’t you know it, it bloody worked too.

4. Portable MP3 players

What made the original iPod so special to many? It could store a thousand tracks on it at once. One thousand, CD quality tracks. In Steve Jobs’ own words, this was a “Quantum leap” for the portable MP3 player, the 5GB of onboard storage was something never before offered and for just $399 you were practically taking the shirt off of his back!

Interestingly, the iPod keynote reveal is one of those few moments of pure cognitive dissonance captured on film. You get to see it as Steve Jobs points directly at the Nomad Jukebox, a cheaper device than the iPod with a 6GB hard drive. Moments before saying his 5GB device is something so groundbreaking that just holding the iPod in his hands may cause the ground beneath his feet to rattle, open up, and swallow him whole.

Yet again, the Nomad Jukebox didn’t have that little spinny wheel did it? Although, technically, neither did Apple who in 2013 had to pay $3.3 million in damages to its actual inventor. 

5. Virtual/mixed reality

The WWDC of 2023 saw Apple emerge into an all-new market. Never before had anybody done what Apple planned to do — merge reality with a virtual plane, seamlessly blending between the two while offering digital playgrounds you exist in within the form of a 3D avatar. The Apple Vision Pro was born! Tim Cook might as well have waltzed onto the stage wearing a silver spandex catsuit and loudly proclaimed “Welcome to the future, you’re welcome!”

Stop it! Stop looking around for your HTC Vives and your Meta Quest 2s, they don’t exist. I know so because Apple said such experiences are only possible with the combination of an M2 and R1 chipset. It was all Virtual Boys and anaglyph glasses before Apple took to the stage that day to single-handedly deliver us the virtual reality dream not a single one of us got bored of two years prior. No siree. 

6. Video calls

How did we survive without FaceTime? Apple’s video messaging app has risen to such prominence that it has broken free from the constraints of the noun and found itself repositioned as a verb. To FaceTime is to experience an entirely new form of long-distance communication that surpasses the mere audio reception of the human voice. You can now watch your friends and family in real-time, live, as if glancing through a magical portal into someone else's mundane life for a change.

What a historic event! It was like being around to observe the dawn of the telegram! Or the birth of email! Or the HTC Evo 4G — a smartphone with built-in video calling software that came out a month earlier. Not to mention the slew of other apps that had been doing the same thing for years like Skype. But no, Steve Jobs had grown up dreaming about video calls, and finally, he was able to make it a real thing. 

7. ‘Double Tap’ for Apple Watch

It’s said that good artists borrow, and great artists steal. That means the PR team working on the Apple Watch Series 9 and watchOS 10 release are great artists. One of the main takeaways from Apple’s recent Wonderlust event was the new Double Tap feature for the Apple Watch, allowing users to simply tap their index finger and thumb together to interact with the wearable.

It’s innovative, it’s revolutionary, it’s groundbreaking, it’s… Well, it’s been a part of the interface as far back as the Apple Watch 4. Double Tap is simply a rebranding of the device’s AssistiveTouch Double Pinch accessibility option. Double Tap’s highlight as a show-stealing feature of note is a masterclass in spin —  but just another Tuesday for Apple.

In Apple’s defense… 

OK, maybe Apple doesn’t always directly come out and say they’ve invented such-and-such a device. But from the way the brand talks you’d assume so at the very least — and that’s sort of what they’re banking on too.

It’s a subtle misdirection where Apple hits you with the words ‘never before seen’ and ‘innovation’ enough times that you’re hypnotized into believing they’re treading new ground with every stride.

In 2000, Apple was involved in a bit of legal hot water over claims they made about the iPhone 3G. “Twice as fast, for half the price” was the phrase that gave them trouble, and while that claim never quite manifested into the performance of its product Apple insisted that it never lied. However, it followed that up by saying that “anyone who believes what the company says in its ads is a fool.”

Apple said that as a legal defense when accused of lying in its advertisements. Keep that in mind next time Tim Cook goes walkies at Apple Park and a passing drone catches him energetically preaching about the latest iDevice heading your way.

Outlook

None of this is to say Apple hasn’t invented anything during its time at the top of the technosphere. That would be bonkers, barmy, deluded even. There are probably 1,000 patents worth of innovative upgrades in your iPhone alone, things that Apple has indeed invented in order to further the product. They have a knack for putting the pieces together better than most, but that doesn’t mean Apple invented the concept of the smartphone — even if they’re happy to let you believe they did.

Apple’s real strengths are in innovating existing tech, fine-tuning what’s already there and building upwards. In effect, Apple is the great gentrifier of the tech world: swooping into a space, tidying things up, and pushing up prices in its wake. So why do so many people believe otherwise? In a word: marketing.

Apple’s secret weapon is its phenomenal ability to market itself as inventors. Every new feature presented to us simply couldn’t exist without the power of {insert new Apple device here}. It would be literally impossible for this technology to exist without the {insert new Apple device here}. Apple’s marketing speak is legendary — and highly effective.

But only a fool would believe it. Their words, not mine.

After yesterday's Apple Wonderlust event, where we saw new iPhones and Apple Watches, some were left saddened by the lack of an announcement of a new iPad. While you may not be getting new hardware just yet, Apple didn't forget iPad fans completely; iPadOS 17 is coming September 18, and it looks like an interesting update. 

For now we'll have to let our visions of an iPad mini 7 continue to dance in our heads and I'll keep saving my pennies for when it does arrive.

Apple is great at quietly working on the next best thing while keeping its devices updated with new improvements to its outstanding iPadOS, and the tech goliath has even given us a glimpse of what's to come. 

iPadOS 17 

If you visit the iPadOS 17 preview page and slide past all the improved, personalized lock screen and motion effect live photo wallpaper nonsense, you'll discover some solid upgrades, like the new Widgets on the lock screen.

The upgrade will feature interactive widgets that allow you to play music, turn off lights in your home, and more, simply by tapping a widget icon.

Improvements to iMessage let you quickly catch up on a conversation and keep abreast of all the details from start to finish. There is an improved iMessage Search feature to help you locate messages faster.

Also, audio messages can be transcribed for reading if you can't listen to them. There's also an improved sticker interface and the ability to create stickers from your own photos.

The app iPadOS 17 update I'm very impressed with is FaceTime. FaceTime is the one reason I still have an iPhone. You can use your iPad in conjunction with Apple TV, use your iPad as a camera, and view the call on your television.

You can also use your hands to trigger 3D augmented reality effects like hearts, confetti, or fireworks within FaceTime. Lastly, you'll be able to quickly record a video or audio message if someone misses your call, which is a feature that has been around on Android for a while now.

Apple's Health app comes with iPad, is optimized for the larger display, and will feature mental and vision health applications.

You can now quickly handle PDFs and Notes with the new Autofill feature, which you can use with an Apple Pen. You can now link notes and collaborate with others in real time on PDFs. 

You can read more about the upgrades on the iPadOS 17 preview page, and while I'm happy for the update, I'd still rather have that new iPad mini 7. 

The long-awaited Apple September event finally took place, and besides the new hardware we got details on the iOS 17 release date. iOS 17 will be available for public download on September 18, and iPhone users have quite a few exciting quality-of-life improvements to look forward to. 

If you plan to preorder an iPhone 15, you’ll get to experience iOS 17 right out of the box. If you plan to delay splurging on a fancy new smartphone, don’t fret. Apple published a list of devices that support iOS 17, and iPhones as old as the SE (2nd Gen), XR, and XS can download the iOS 17 update as soon as it’s available. 

In just a few short days, we’ll be able to test out iOS 17 in all its glory. Meanwhile, check out the three exciting upgrades we’re looking forward to the most. 

The three most exciting new features in iOS 17

Sure, iOS 17 will be a more efficient and powerful operating system overall — but that’s the boring stuff. We’re more interested in what makes iOS 17 better than iOS 16. These three upgrades may not be groundbreaking, but they’re exciting improvements many iPhone users will use daily.  

As gimmicky as it is, StandBy Mode is one of the best features in iOS 17. This upgrade turns your phone into a handy bedside clock when set it down horizontally on a charger. You can customize how your StandBy Mode looks to match your preferred aesthetic or color palette, as well as add or remove widgets for your clock, calendar, alarms, and so on. 

Another feature we’re looking forward to is creating personalized Contact Posters. With this iOS 17 upgrade, you can control what your user profile looks like when interacting with other iPhone users. You can choose your best selfie, and then customize it with your preferred typography, font color, and more. Save it as your Contact Poster, and that’s how you’ll appear on other iPhone users’ screens when you call. 

We’re also excited for the Live Voicemail feature in iOS 17. This upgrade transcribes your voicemail messages in real-time, and gives you a second chance to pick up a call if you ignored it while it was ringing. You can see what the person is saying in their voicemail message to you, and accept the call if it’s something important. This’ll be a handy feature to avoid scammers and calls that should’ve been texts in the first place. 

These are the three biggest upgrades you can expect after downloading iOS 17, but they certainly aren’t the only upgrades. A few honorable mentions include activating Siri by simply saying “Siri” instead of needing to say “Hey” first, playing around with 3D Reactions in FaceTime, and sharing contact details quickly with the new NameDrop feature within AirDrop.

It’s important to note that Apple has warned consumers that some iOS 17 features might not be available in all countries or regions just yet. For example, the Live Voicemail feature will only be available in the US and Canada to start. So if you’re excited about a certain feature, be sure to read the fine print in Apple’s press release to find out if it’s available in your area.

For anyone undecided on which iPhone 15 model you should buy or whether it’s worth buying the iPhone 15 over the iPhone 14, we’ve got you covered with in depth comparisons.  

According to a report in 9to5Mac, the latest iOS 17 beta 7 may confirm the long-rumored new Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro models. As we likely all know, the iPhone 15 is expected to arrive at the Apple September event next month.

The folks at 9to5Mac found that iOS 17 beta 7 adds new haptics response and feedback when users turn silent mode on or off. The latest update makes the phone vibrate far more when users change methods within their devices, which hints at the possibility of an Action Button. 

In previous versions of iOS, the haptic feedback was less intense and relatively quick when changing to silent mode or when it is disabled. 9to5Mac speculates that the new feedback is designed to easily inform the user whether the phone is in silent mode or not now that the mute switch will vanish in favor of the Action Button.

Why I'm less than enthused

I'm an iPhone user, but even I'm overwhelmed and bored to death by being oversaturated in Apple iPhone news. Mind you, I used the term "user" somewhat loosely because I am forced to still use my iPhone 11 due to my family's addiction to FaceTime. I prefer to use my OnePlus 11, as it is the better phone. Also, I'm more excited about the upcoming OnePlus 12 and OnePlus Open than anything Apple has to offer because I'm over it. 

Also, as much as I love the Apple ecosystem, I hate feeling at its mercy. iPhone hardware updates since the iPhone 12 have been minimal at best, with no actual design improvements, only incremental camera improvement, and iOS has had a few touch-ups. Still, nothing has blown me away or made me feel like, "OMG, this is so innovative!"

While there are some interesting rumors about the iPhone 15 Pro Max camera upgrades, they are bringing Apple to parity with Samsung from about 3-4 years ago. The standard iPhone 15 models may be basically stripped-down versions of the iPhone 14 Pro.

It just feels like every year, Tim Cook appears and raises a new iPhone to the sky as we all fall to our knees, and the music from The Lion King starts to play like Simba was just anointed the kingdom's future. 

At this point, I know I am never getting invited to that circled-walled Wonka Factory known as Cupertino. I'm too tongue-in-cheek about what Apple does, although I will admit to my love and admiration for its devices, but the theatrics and constant adoration are too rich for my blood.

Let me end this by saying the iPhone 15 is expected to have a new titanium frame, making it sturdier and thinner. It will come with an improved A17 chip and a USB-C port, thanks to the European Union pushing Apple into the future. iOS will get several updates and improved haptics, which may include new sensations to cover the possibility of an Action Button on Pro device models. 

Now, we can all go about the rest of our day. 

“Haha! Android users weep!” one TikTok comment said. “Android users have left the chat!” another said.” Comments flooded the short-form video platform as one creator demonstrated an Instagram story hack that requires one to use a new-ish iOS 16-born iPhone feature.

iPhone owners were foaming at the mouth at the opportunity to poke fun at Android for supposedly lacking this cool new perk, but little did they know that my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra could do the same (I’ll reveal which feature this is as the first entry in this list).

Consequently, the idea for this piece came to me. I wondered, “Are there any other Android features that people wrongly assume are iPhone exclusive?” I thought back to my own personal conversations with iPhone fans among my professional network and friendships, and came up with a short list of iPhone features people think are exclusive to IPhone, but aren't.

1. Lifting a subject from a photo

I’m sorry to burst your bubble iPhone devotees, but the iOS 16 Lift a subject from the photo background feature is not an iPhone-exclusive feature. My Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (yes an Android) can do the same. Just like you can press and hold a subject and iOS will isolate it from the background, you can perform the same gesture on a Galaxy S series phone and get the same results.

The name of this tool is called “Image Clipper” and it launched via an April One UI 5.1 update, according to our sister site AndroidCentral. This feature can be found on the following phone lines: Galaxy S23, S22, S21, S20, and Galaxy Fold.

What’s different about iPhone’s version of the tool, however, is that, thanks to iOS 17 (which is expected to roll out to the general public later this year), you’ll have the opportunity to do more with the “Lift a subject from the photo background perk.” For example, you can use this tool to transform your photos into Stickers that you can save and share with your friends.

 2. Android users can join FaceTime calls, too

Android users can, indeed, join FaceTime calls, but keep in mind that they cannot launch FaceTime calls. Only iPhone users can initiate FaceTime calls. iPhone users, you can thank Apple for rolling out this new feature with iOS 15.

iPhone users can open the FaceTime app on their phone, create a join link, and share it with their Android-owning friends and family. After clicking the link, Android users can join the FaceTime call, which will launch in their browser (e.g., Chrome or Edge.). 

Android users stopped being left out of the FaceTime party when Apple announced this feature at WWDC 2021. 

3.  Android has an AirDrop equivalent

I asked YouTuber MrMorbile, a tech, phone-focused creator with over one million subscribers, for help coming up with this third one. AirDrop is one of the most trumpeted, beloved and heralded features in the Apple ecosystem, allowing users to seamlessly share files from one iDevice to another. However, I hate to break it to you iPhone stans, but Android has a pretty good AirDrop equivalent called “Nearby Share.”

No, Android users aren’t emailing themselves to transfer photos and documents from their phones to their PCs. Instead, they can download a Google desktop app called Nearby Share, which lets them zip off files from their phones, and vice versa, in seconds.

Bottom line

If you’re an iPhone user, perhaps these surprised you. If so, I’m glad I taught you something new today. I’d also imagine that even some Android users had no earthly idea they had access to some of these features (please stop emailing yourselves). 

On the other hand, if you already knew that these perks were not iPhone exclusive, good for you! While I have you here, be sure to check out our “We asked 5 phone experts” series that dives into features Android has that iPhone doesn’t and features iPhone has that Android doesn’t.

Apple and the European Union have been locked in a constant quarrel of late as the bigwigs of Brussels have begun throwing their weight around in the tech world. From their Digital Markets Act shattering app neutrality and obliterating any form of quality control for future platforms to wider demands on how electronic devices function and perform in order to reduce e-waste, at this point, the European Union might as well be Apple’s design team.

The EU started all this by establishing a law to see all new devices adopt a “single charging solution.” In this instance, that solution is USB-C meaning Apple would have to begin phasing out Lightning Charger ports on iPhone models in order to adopt USB-C by 2024. Apple may have initially kicked up a fuss, but they now seem all on board with the idea with leaks and rumors pointing to the iPhone 15 being outfitted with a USB-C port in order to comply with EU regulations.

Then, after having already conceded ground to the Eurozone, the continent took a second swipe. As per new EU regulations, smartphone batteries from 2027 onward will need to be user replaceable. This is a staggering blow for many manufacturers as batteries are typically non-replaceable to allow for better optimization of space inside the device or higher, more protective IP ratings against dust, particulates, and water.

It seems with every placation from Apple, the EU pushes harder in its attempts to influence the design direction of Apple’s devices. Through laws and regulations. So, what has Apple done to fight back? Well… Nothing.

C’mon… Do something…

Apple has already proven they’re willing to stand their ground when it comes to opposing governmental acts. Earlier this week Apple drew a line in the sand over the U.K.’s potential Investigatory Powers Act update, stating that it was more than prepared to completely disable FaceTime and iMessage access in the U.K. out of protest. And they’re not alone either, with both WhatsApp and Signal threatening to “walk” from the U.K. market.

The Investigatory Powers Act is a framework to determine the legal processes by which intelligence agencies and law enforcement within the U.K. are allowed to gather, intercept, and retain pertinent communications data during investigations. The proposed revisions to that act would see investigators gain wider access to secure services under the proviso of protecting the public from criminal activity.

However, that also means that companies have to supply the U.K. Home Office with backdoors into end-to-end encrypted communications and check in with the governmental branch before releasing any product security features. This is something Apple seems completely unwilling to do, arguing that it weakens the security of the services they provide and poses a “serious and direct threat to data security and information privacy.”

So, if Apple is willing to take a stand over something like this, why won’t they tell the EU to mind its own when it comes to design? Well, probably…

The root of all evil

Money. Do you remember money? I remember money, it used to be a thing made out of paper what you could hold in your hands and trade for goods and services or throw in encouragement towards people who’ve not quite figured out the correct usage of the fire pole in seedy, dimly lit clubs. That probably still happens, except establishments like that don’t allow me entry anymore on account of me not having any of that sweet legal tender in my possession.

But you know who does have money? Apple has money. Lots of it. So much so that records were smashed recently when Apple’s market value exceeded $3 trillion. A fair chunk of that comes from Apple’s European market, which, according to Statista, saw the Cupertino brand net $35.2 billion of operating income in 2022 alone.

That’s such a mind-boggling amount of money that it becomes easy to understand why Apple might not want to butt heads with the bullies of Brussels over cables and batteries. After all, it’s easy to disable a handful of apps when you gain nothing from them, it’s not so easy to pull your products out of a giant supranational economic market and pass up on… Hold on, let me do math…

Wait… 1.17% of your total market value? Is that right? Am I mathing wrong, is Apple really willing to bow its head and kowtow to the European Union's demands over one whole percent of its market value? To forego years of research and development, take ten paces back in terms of design, and squander billions of dollars more in R&D to adapt to archaic design decisions made by unelected, woolen-suited, European lizard people? No, no Apple… What are you doing? Push back, call their bluff, protest!

Revolt.

The Boston USB-C Party

I’m not going to be so presumptuous to believe I could tell a brand as big as Apple what they should do. But I can pose a thought. I can make a suggestion. Beyond that? Let every man do what is right in his own eyes.

It’s time for a Boston USB-C Party. Dump them, drop them, and submerge them in the dusty earth of the New Mexico Atari burial mounds. Hold fast to your Lightning cable and MagSafe Chargers and proudly say “No.”

Say, “We at Apple, Think Different.” and refuse to be shepherded into the flock with the likes of the dirty android heathens. You can’t give in so easily. First, they’ll take your Lightning ports, then they’ll take your internal battery and IP68 rating, and before you know it, they’ll take your blue iMessage bubble too.

At that point, why even bother? You might as well throw a Qualcomm Snapdragon in the next iPhone and call it a day. Congratulations Apple, you have the best UI of any Android phone on the market.

What’s the worst the EU can truly do? Cry while the rest of the world enjoys the iPhone 16 with its proprietary Lightning Charger 2 technology? Sift through newly formed mountainous regions of complaint letters adorning the halls of the European Council? Pah! I say you place Apple Studio Displays in the windows of every Apple store from Lisbon to Helsinki showing looped videos of happy Americans touting the MagSafe-only iFold or scaring children while wearing the still hideous Apple Vision Pro 2. 

Outlook

I give it four months — tops. At which stage the EU will come crawling back to you, desperate to make amends. Their Huawei and Xiaomi smartphones now riddled with Chinese spyware, groveling on hand and knee for you to make your triumphant return. Rekindling your independence as free thinkers who dare to venture off the beaten path.

This Destruction of the USB-C is so bold, so daring, so firm, intrepid and inflexible, and it must have so important Consequences, and so lasting that I can’t but consider it as an Epocha in History.

Rise up, Apple. And tell the EU where it can stick its USB-C cables. (And its replaceable batteries too!) 

With the onslaught of iPhone 15 rumors becoming a constant in my daily work life, nothing I’ve read thus far has convinced me that this will be a must-buy. The iPhone is rumored to arrive with a new periscope camera, more battery life, smaller bezels, a new A17 Bionic chip, and even more AI. Even with all that, my soul just sighs as if you said water is wet. 

Part of it, perhaps, is simply iPhone 15 rumor fatigue. They’re taking a button away, no they’re adding a button, no wait, there will be no buttons, and a behind-the-display fingerprint reader is coming. What’s more, many of the rumored updates to iPhone 15, well, those features are already available on Android phones. Instead of innovating, Apple just seems to be playing a game of copy-and-paste engineering. Most of the iPhone's improvements have been software-based, which doesn’t cut it. 

Even Motorola, a company Apple had beaten nearly to death, has been more innovative lately. The latest Razr is a brilliant device and gaining a massive fan base thanks to its stunning, sturdy design, potent specs, and excellent performance.

The phone or phones I rather spend my money instead

Apple’s lack of innovation since the iPhone 11 led me to retire my iPhone 11 last year and happily replace it with the OnePlus 11. So far, I have loved the OnePlus 11, and I use it for everything from writing quick Threads to shooting photos and videos. The OP 11 has never let me down. The only thing I don’t use it for is FaceTime, because, despite Apple making it possible to use Facetime on Android, it’s garbage.

FaceTime is the dark fiery soul-devouring demoness that keeps my iPhone 11’s heartbeat pumping and battery charged. Why? Simply because my 13-year-old and several of my other family members refuse to use anything else for video chatting, as if WhatsApp, Google Meet, and a dozen other apps don’t exist!

However, brand loyalist be damned, I am super excited and am considering purchasing the upcoming OnePlus 12, or maybe the OnePlus Fold, which will soon arrive. Apple is still sitting out the foldable party, and I may want to rub that in my associate's faces as they sit stuck in one display hell! Muhahaha! Although, as we have seen with the Google Fold, foldables can be fragile. I possess skull-mashing, scarred-up muscle hands that can sometimes be a little clumsy. Oopsies be damned! I will still try out the OnePlus Fold (if that is, in fact, its name) and see how it holds up. 

Rumors have it that it will arrive with some pretty awesome specs that include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and the inner foldable display is expected to be a massive 7.8-inch AMOLED with 2K resolution. The external screen is expected to be a 6.3-inch AMOLED. Both will feature a 120Hz refresh rate to keep things looking silky smooth. However, I will use it only until the true apple of my eye arrives.

The OnePlus 12

We recently covered the leaked OnePlus 12 renders, and it was love at first sight. It shares most of its styling with the OP 11, but on the back, within its refined circular camera module, we find what looks to be a periscope camera. Also, the rumor is that OnePlus is leveling up its camera game and sensors. With that Hasselblad fine-tuning, I had several wonderful dreams last night of just wandering about shooting photos and videos all day with it. 

Also, Oxygen OS is my absolute favorite Android skin ever, as it runs smoothly, looks beautiful, and isn’t overpowering. This is the one reason I reject Samsung phones in every form. Samsung makes amazing phones, but the company’s Android skin is just littered with Samsung bloatware.

The OP 12 is rumored to arrive with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Chipset, the latest Adreno 750 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and possibly up to 1TB of storage. It will feature a 6.7-inch QHD+ OLED with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and a fast charging 5,000mAh battery. The camera module will have a 50MP IMX9-series main camera sensor, a 50MP wide-angle lens, and a 64MP Omnivision OV64B periscope lens. Don’t you love it when a tech maker actually levels things up. 

Lastly, what excites me most is the price point. OnePlus made its name as the “flagship killer” brand and is earning that reputation again, giving an affordable phone with flagship specs and performance. They achieve this by using elfin magic or pacts with elder gods. Who knows how they do it? I’m glad they do, so I expect the OnePlus 12 to come in under $1,000 again. Meanwhile, rumors have it that the new iPhone 15 will increase in price, and I have no more blood to let or limbs to hawk on the black market. 

Amazon Prime Day is over, and we've seen a lot of good MacBook deals. One we didn't anticipate to still be available is the $100 saving on a brand spanking new 15-inch MacBook Air — down to just $1,399!

Apple NEVER usually discounts its latest and greatest so soon, which made this offer completely blindside us. In fact, it was already on for this price at Amazon for a few days! But if you missed it when it went out of stock, fear not, B&H has your back.

Apple's 2023 15-inch MacBook Air pretty much the MacBook Air 13 with more screen real estate. It's larger than the 2022 13.6-inch MacBook Air M2, 2020 13.3-inch MacBook Air M1.

The base model MacBook Air 15 features a 15.3-inch (2880 x 1864) Liquid Retina display, M2 8-core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 16-core neural engine and 8GB of RAM. Rounding out its specs is a speedy 512GB SSD, 1080p FaceTime HD camera, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Force Touch trackpad. 

In our MacBook Air 15 review, we gave it a solid rating of 4.5 out of 5-stars praising its ultra-slim chassis, beautiful Liquid Retina display and solid performance. The 15-inch MacBook Air's battery life endured nearly 15 hours of continuous web surfing over WiFi at 150-nits of brightness. This puts in the category of laptops with the longest lasting battery life. 

Just about the only bone we have to pick with Apple about the MacBook Air 15 is the lack of ports. 

In one test, we opened 80 Google Chrome running a mix of productivity apps, social media and videos. Apple's new 15-inch laptop had no issue juggling multiple tasks at once with no performance lag. In our lab, it scored 9,993 on Geekbench 6.1 overall performance test, which beats the 8,389 category average.

With a weight of 3.3 pounds and measuring 13.4 x 0.5 x 9.4-inches, the MacBook Air 15 is fairly portable. Now just under $1,400, the more spacious MacBook Air 15 is worth considering if you're in the market for a new laptop. 

The opening day of Apple’s annual WWDC revealed some impressive features heading to iPhone through the upcoming iOS 17 update. We’ve already gone into 11 new features coming to your iPhone with the update, but a few have the potential to do just as much hard as good.

The upcoming features updates to AirDrop, Contacts, FaceTime, and Messages include a number of great personalization features that let you quickly share contact information, choose how you appear to others when making a call, and easily make custom stickers to share with others.

The problem? You might not really be interested in somebody’s unsolicited nudes showing up on your phone when they call you. Nor do you want to check your FaceTime videomail to find all sorts of questionable horrors awaiting you.

Thanks, but no thanks

If you’re anything approximating as cynical as I am. You likely realized the potential for ner-do-wells to do you wrong with these features almost immediately. Thankfully, it seems like Apple was well aware too, and has some expanded Privacy and Security measures to thwart those looking to abuse its platform.

You’ll now have the option to blur sensitive photos and videos before you choose the view them across a range of iOS apps like Messagers, AirDrop, Contact Posters, FaceTime messages, and even third-party apps.

So you won’t have to worry about your creepy “friend” Dick illuminating your phone with a Contact Poster of his Richard in front of your friends and family when they send you an out-of-the-blue Romeo Dial.

That's one less of life's looming horrors you'll have to worry about at least. Nice work, Apple.

Apple’s milestone operating system updates can sometimes mean its software is getting anything from a fresh coat of paint to a complete renovation. However, the unveiling of Apple’s augmented and virtual reality-based visionOS platform is a new home for Apple users entirely.

The Apple Vision Pro may be the piece of hardware stealing the show right now, but its success as a product will be down to more than just 4K micro-OLED displays and dual M2 and R1 SoCs – visionOS is the heart and soul of Apple’s AR/VR vision, one that will grow and adapt over future generations of headsets.

There’s a lot going on here, and plenty to explore. Some features of visionOS will be relatively familiar to those in the Apple ecosystem already while some things are entirely new to us all. Not only do we now have a completely new Apple device to get to grips with, but there’s also an entirely new operating system to do it on. Let's dive into the details on what we know so far and what those itching to step into the virtual Apple-verse can expect.

This story is currently developing as WWDC 2023 continues…

Apple visionOS highlights

• Native support for all iPad and iOS apps at launch
• Familiar developer-friendly frameworks for app creation
• visionOS includes facial scanning for real-time, true-to-life avatars
• Backed by M2 performance, and R1 SoCs
• Spatial ray-tracing audio engine for supreme soundscapes in 3D
• 3D video playback and recording
• IR EyeSight eye-tracking, and sense of presence functions 
• Hand tracking and voice control
• Familiar yet all-new interface
• Interfaces cast shadows to add to sense of scale
• Movable interfaces in 3D space
• Multitask across numerous AR windows with the Multi-App 3D engine
• Sync with MacBook to host 4K display in AR anywhere
• Virtual keyboard interaction, or audio dictation for input
• 100+ Apple Arcade titles ready to play at launch

What is visionOS?

Apple’s latest operating system has been designed with two key features in mind, augmented reality and virtual reality. The operating system will be the backbone for the new Apple Vision Pro headset, offering unique features, apps, and functions to users while exploring this new mixed-reality frontier.

We first became aware of visionOS under the name xrOS after some digital sleuthing unveiled a cleverly disguised trademark filed by an Apple shell corporation to the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office. The information coincided with a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who revealed that insider sources also confirmed the name xrOS to be legit.

The “xr” of xrOS stands for “extended reality,” the clear focus and vision of the Apple Vision Pro. As it turns out, Apple's final name for the software is visionOS. Apple’s goal to bridge the gap between our digital and physical worlds is a lofty one, but its new visionOS platform could be vital in ensuring Apple’s next steps into mixed reality are a success.

visionOS features

visionOS is the first operating system built from the ground up for spatial computing. 

visionOS makes use of the Vision Pro's wide array of cameras to constantly blend the virtual and real world. Delivering a stable and constant picture with floating UI elements that you can interact with. The operating system also makes use of audio ray-tracing to ensure the soundscapes from these augmented reality vistas are as accurate as possible.

Infinite screen real estate is now possible, without any of that physical clutter. Shape and size your workstation at will, tailor your environment to suit your any given need, and more. 

visionOS supports all your favorite iOS and iPadOS apps

The Vision Pro is Apple’s first step into a post-iPhone landscape, but that doesn’t mean it’s leaving everything behind to start anew. While there’ll be a little less physical tapping, the visionOS will feel fresh and familiar to those clued into the Apple ecosystem. Expect the same design ethos, the same fluidity, and a range of familiar apps to find a new home on the visionOS platform.

At launch, visionOS will support hundreds of thousands of iPad and iOS. Even intensive apps like Adobe Lightroom will be available at launch, all easily controlled with subtle hand gestures and your eyes.

You can even play your favorite Apple Arcade titles to play on Vision Pro, with 100_ games available to play on day one alone. You can even use third-party controllers to control things!

visionOS – 3D content for a 3D you

A great number of these apps will be tailored directly to the Vision Pro’s unique features, allowing for eye-tracking and gesture recognition to play a key part in how you interact with Apple’s new operating system. There's even a dial to fine tune just how much you want the visionOS software to phase out the world around you.

The home screen you've previously been used to, truly is a screen now. Expanding into an enormous virtual panel from which you can control how you interact with subtle gestures.

EyeSight tracking allows others to know when you can and cannot see them. It also allows the Vision Pro to display your eyes accurately when you can. Tracking your gaze to show others you're clued into the conversation and paying attention.

Eyesight can be programmed to scan your face, capturing your likeness. This likeness can then be tracked and puppeteered by visionOS in various apps, acting as a highly responsive avatar. Allowing non Apple Vision Pro users to look into the device from outside, and see a clear and accurate representation of your own eyes looking back.

FaceTime on Vision Pro will display other callers in full scale, floating around the room, giving a real sense of presence. If a user is using the Vision Pro, they'll be represented by one of the aforementioned avatars, bringing a lifelike and realistically animated avatar that mirrors expressions and mouth movements. You'll also be able to share other apps through FaceTime, including the ability to watch movies together.

With the Vision Pro, you can capture and experience photos and videos in ways never seen before, soak in panoramas in full vision, or play back 3D spacial photos and video snapped by the Vision Pro's 3D camera. Enjoy cinema level playback of films and TV with visionOS able to identify the room around you, dimming it from vision to help you focus fully on the moment.

visionOS x Disney

Disney CEO, Bob Igor, was welcomed to the stage to showcase visionOS' AR flourish being introduced into Disney+ services. With simple, hand gestures able to interact with content. Including that of an interactive Marvel What If...? experience, alongside various other Disney properties.

Apple Vision Pro for developers

The same frameworks for apps across the Apple ecosystem can be found on visionOS, allowing the same fantastic and familiar options developers have grown used to over the years. This gives developers the tools needed to re-imagine their existing apps easily into complete spatial experiences. 

Developers can use familiar tools and frameworks like xCode, SwiftUI, Reality Kit, and AR kit to build apps on visionOS. Reality Composer Pro is another developer-friendly app capable of quickly and easily building complex scenes with realistic objects. There's even a partnership with Unity3D to bring native support to the development tool.

Apple Vision Pro for productivity

visionOS will also be fantastic for productivity users. Microsoft apps like Excel, Word, and teams and conferencing tools like Zoom and Webex will all feature. With conferencing tools able to use your EyeSight-scanned avatar to communicate with others naturally.

visionOS security: Optic ID

We've already seen biometric data like fingerprints being used to keep devices and information secure. With visionOS, Apple Vision Pro is able to scan and use retina biometrics for increased security.

This new system encrypts your data, never to leave your device, and is only accessible with the secure enclave processor. This allows visionOS users to use apps like Apple Pay, App Store purchases and Password Auto-fill with nothing more than a glance. No more passwords required.

visionOS release date

visionOS’ one and only home will be on the Apple Vision Pro headset, so it should arrive alongside the Vision Pro headset in early 2024.

It's important to know how to share your screen via FaceTime on your Mac — it's only a matter of time before you'll want the person on the other end to see what's on your display.

Fortunately, sharing your screen via FaceTime on a Mac, whether you've got the latest 16-inch M2 Max MacBook Pro or last year's M2 MacBook Air, is as easy as 1-2-3. Follow the step-by-step guide below to seamlessly allow your FaceTime participant to see what's on your display.

How to share your screen on FaceTime on Mac

1. Launch a FaceTime call on your Mac.

2. Click on the icon next to the red "hang up" button. A pop-up window on the top-right corner should appear.

3. Tap on the icon located on the far-right of the pop-up window.

4. Select whether you'd like to share an individual window or your entire screen. And just like that, the person on the other end can see the contents on your display.

"How do I have FaceTime calls with Android users?" is the new question that's popping up on the Google search engine as more iPhone owners catch wind of the new iOS 15 perk. At WWDC 2021, Apple announced that Android users can now participate in FaceTime calls, but there is a catch.

Although Android users can join FaceTime calls, they cannot host any. Only an iPhone owner can launch a FaceTime call and send a link to an Android recipient (which allows the non-iOS user to join in on the FaceTime fun). Getting started is easy. Check out the step-by-step instructions below.

• FaceTime is coming to Android and Windows: Here’s what we know
• iOS 15: How to share screen on FaceTime (the answer may disappoint you)
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How to have FaceTime calls with Android users

Before launching a FaceTime call with an Android user, your iPhone must be updated to iOS 15. Also, make sure that your call participant is in your Contacts for easy sharing via the Messages app. Once you've done these preliminary actions, you're ready to have your first FaceTime call with an Android user.

1. Go to the FaceTime app.

2. If you're not signed in yet, you'll be prompted to do so. Input your Apple ID and password.

3. Click on "Create a Link." If you like, you can name the FaceTime link by clicking on "Add Name" and typing in your preferred title. Tap "OK." 

4. Next, click on the tiny "i" next to your newly created link. 

5. Tap on "Share Link." 

6. Tap on "Messages" and click on the green plus sign to select the Contact you'd like to send the join link to. Next, click on the green up arrow to send it. 

7. Once sent, you'll be brought back to your FaceTime link's main page. Click on "Join" and wait for your Android buddy to join the call. 

Of course, it's best to plan ahead and schedule a FaceTime call with your Android participant so that they can join you on the call at an agreed upon time.

Apple's new iOS 15 feature SharePlay could be a game-changer for those in long-distance relationships. If you missed WWDC, SharePlay lets you listen to music, watch TV shows or movies in sync, and share your screen with the person on the other end of a FaceTime call. 

It works on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and presents shared controls so either participant can play, pause, or jump ahead. SharePlay even works on the Apple TV, so you can watch shows or movies on the big screen while chatting over FaceTime.

• WWDC 2021: Best new features coming to iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey
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• Best cheap phone deals in 2021

My four years in a long-distance relationship immediately came to mind as Apple revealed the feature on Monday. Two of those years were just before the pandemic; I was working out of the Laptop Mag office in New York City and my girlfriend, now wife (long-distance relationships can work!), followed opportunities from Austin to Detroit. 

Anyone in a similar situation will agree — long-distance relationships are difficult. Crucial to making them work is the ability to share information, be it photos, texts, or links to things you've discovered around your area. Our connected world and the devices we keep with us at all times — phones and laptops — make this possible. What's missing in a long-distance relationship are shared experiences. My wife and I created these when we visited each other on the weekends, but having these types of spontaneous moments remotely was awkward and frustrating — and only exaggerated the distance between us. 

SharePlay has a chance of building a virtual bridge between two people so they can share experiences in real-time. That luxury didn't exist a few years ago. My wife and I desperately searched for platforms that let us play in-sync movies while on a video call, but came up empty-handed. Sites claiming to offer this feature were either too sluggish or asked for a troubling swath of personal information. We abandoned hope and instead used the trusty "Ready? 3-2-1 — press play!" syncing technique. 

If SharePlay had been around a few years ago, this long-time Android user would have switched platforms. After all, phones are best used as a way to keep in touch with loved ones. If the iPhone or MacBook gave me a way to be closer to my wife, I would have tossed out my Dell XPS 15 and OnePlus 8 without a pang of guilt.

The success of SharePlay will ultimately depend on the support it receives from major streaming services. As it stands, the feature works with Disney+, ESPN+, HBO Max, Hulu, MasterClass, Paramount+, Pluto TV, TikTok and Twitch. That's an impressive starting roster although Netflix, which has its own Teleparty feature, is notably missing. 

I use long-distance relationships as a possible use case for the new features but SharePlay arrives during the coronavirus pandemic, at a time when some friends and families have been separated for more than a year. I hope SharePlay won't be needed and that the pandemic is on its last leg so shared experiences can happen in person — still, it's nice to know there is a way to dance to a song or laugh at a movie with friends, even if you can't be in the same room. 

When AT&T decided to limit iOS 6's FaceTime over cellular to customers with a Mobile Share data plan, concerned Apple enthusiasts wondered if the move would encourage other networks to place artificial limitations on the iPhone and iPad's video chat functionality as well. The iPhone 5 is here and the answer is in: neither Verizon Wireless nor Sprint plan to place restrictions on FaceTime's native mobile capabilities, Ars Technica reports.

The announcements shouldn't come as a surprise. Sprint's entire iPhone advertising campaign revolves around "Truly Unlimited" data and asking "Why would anyone want to limit the iPhone?" Verizon Wireless, on the other hand, agreed not to limit application access when it purchased the C-Block spectrum that acts as the backbone of its 4G LTE network, and the company recently landed in hot water with the FCC for doing just that with tethering apps. Verizon Wireless only offers new customers shared data plans, however, while AT&T offers both shared and individual data plans.

Although AT&T stands alone in placing limitations on FaceTime over Cellular, it still offers some advantages over the other carriers when you're choosing which network to call home -- especially if you're still grandfathered in to an unlimited data plan. If you want to shop smart, check out our examination of which carrier offers the best value for the iPhone 5.

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• iOS 6 on iPhone 5: Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Smarter Siri and More

While it's only available to iPad, iPhone, and Mac users, Apple's FaceTime video chat app has an intuitive interface and excellent quality. However, other players in the video chat market such as Fring, Oovoo, Skype, and Tango can make face-to-face calls to Android and Apple devices, and some can conduct multi-party video calls with four or more people. So should Apple fans stick to FaceTime exclusively, or should they opt for other apps that open up communication to more users?

Set up

Because the iPad 2 and iPod touch don't have phone numbers, FaceTime works differently on them than on the iPhone 4. On those devices, FaceTime is a standalone, pre-installed application. For the iPhone 4, FaceTime works as a feature within the Phone and Contacts apps.

On the iPhone, you'll need to activate FaceTime in the phone settings before making any video calls. You'll also want to remember to turn on Wi-Fi since FaceTime doesn't work on AT&T or Verizon's 3G networks. For the iPod Touch and iPad 2, a FaceTime application is added to the home screen by default.

The next step in the process is to set up an Apple ID (if one hasn't been set up already). You'll need the e-mail address associated with it to log into FaceTime and make calls. After the first sign-in, users are prompted to enter their Apple ID and password. Then, if needed, users can enter another separate e-mail address that other callers can use to find them.

User Interface

On the iPhone 4, FaceTime works much like making a phone call. When you pull up a contact with an active FaceTime account, FaceTime appears with options to text, call, or e-mail that person. You can also switch a voice phone call to FaceTime via a large button overlaid on the screen during active calls.

Click to enlargeFor the iPod touch and iPad 2, launching the FaceTime application activates the front-facing camera immediately, so your own first-person video takes up the entire screen. A list of FaceTime contacts is transparently overlaid on the right side of the display and allows users to make calls by tapping a contact's name.

FaceTime's interface is the same regardless of the device. The other caller's video occupies the full screen and a thumbnail window for first-person video sits in the corner. Tapping the display pulls up a menu of on-screen buttons for muting the microphone, switching between the front- and back-facing cameras, and ending calls.

In typical Apple fashion, the controls are elegantly simple. For instance, the small thumbnail of the video feed can be dragged or flicked from one corner to another with your finger, and when your caller switches from the back camera to the front one or vice versa, the video feed actually revolves around to indicate to the other caller what's happening. When this action happens in each of the other video chat applications, the video feed simply freezes for a split second before it reappears jarringly with different video. Apple's solution to that admittedly small glitch adds a bit of cool to FaceTime.

Call Quality

Regardless of the device we used--an iPad 2, iPhone 4, and a 13.3-inch MacBook Air--FaceTime offered some of the most dependable video quality we've seen. We experienced no dropped calls, laggy signals, or out-of-sync video and audio. That's because FaceTime only works over Wi-Fi, which tends to be more stable for video connections than 3G data networks. Still, the option to make video calls, even of slightly poorer quality, wouldn't hurt. Google Chat, Fring, ooVoo, Skype, and Tango each work over 3G and 4G data networks as well as Wi-Fi.

Calls made to the iPhone 4 from another iPhone 4 were clear at a glance, but a deeper look revealed that they contained some pixel noise. The edges of our face looked only slightly less blurry than on video calls made with Skype and Tango, but it was much better than Oovoo, which struggled over Wi-Fi. Calls made from the MacBook Air to the iPhone 4 and the iPad 2 video looked clean, but the edges were still fuzzy.

The worst picture quality we noticed was while calling an iPad 2 from an iPhone 4. The latest iPhone captures video that's fine for another iPhone's 3.5-inch display. The iPad 2's 9.7-inch display must scale up video from the iPhone's camera, and the result is scratchy, pixelated video on the tablets's screen.

Still, FaceTime delivered solid video connections, and the audio was the best of any app we tested for this roundup. There was almost no latency, and the sound quality was so clear we hardly ever missed a word.

Special Features

Unlike other video chat apps, FaceTime doesn't offer special features such as group video chat or free voice-only calls made over a carrier's data network. Fring allows users to make up to four video calls at once, and ooVoo Mobile can host up to six audio calls with a single, shared video feed. Plus, Google Chat for mobile, Fring, ooVoo, Skype, and Tango each offer free voice-only calls to other users, and Fring, ooVoo, and Skype even offer pre-paid calls to international numbers.

Verdict

While FaceTime's functionality is limited--Apple devices only, Wi-Fi only, no group video chat--what it does, it does very well. Not only is it easy to set up and use, but FaceTime also offers some of the cleanest video calls, and audio quality was superior. For Apple users looking to make video calls to other Apple users, there's no better app than FaceTime.

According to AppleInsider, some iPad 2 users have experienced a problem where the front camera on the tablet freezes while using FaceTime. The problem has been reported in discussion threads on Apple's support site and appears to affect both Wi-Fi and 3G versions of the device. Some iPhone 4 users have also reported FaceTime freezes since upgrading to iOS 4.3

The way most people have problems have experienced it is that the front camera will freeze on an image during a FaceTime call. When users go back to the homescreen and then back into the app, the frozen image from before is still there. A restart clears the image out of FaceTime and makes the app usable once more-- at least until it freezes again, which requires another restart. People posting about the problem on Apple's site are not fans of restarting and are hoping that the company addresses the issues soon.

Have you had problems with FaceTime on your iPad or iPhone? Let us know in the comments.

via AppleInsider and discussions.apple.com