Last week Apple launched the iPhone 3GS with a bit of fanfare due to the Video Recording, Speed Improvements and new features, but one lacking feature everyone wanted was video conferencing via a front facing camera on the phone. 
Over the last few days details have leaked out that paints a picture for Video Conferencing on your iPhone in 2010. See Video Conferencing takes not only massive bandwith, but also a ton of processing power. Just how much of each you ask? Well lets take a look at the required specifications for Video Conferencing in Mac OS X Snow Leopard.
Two-thirds less
bandwidth required.
iChat requires only one-third the upstream bandwidth to deliver near DVD-quality, 640-by-480-resolution video chats. Leopard requires 900-Kbps upstream bandwidth; Snow Leopard requires just 300 Kbps.
The iPhone 3GS records video at 640 x 480 so assuming they could use that same engine for video conferencing is now possible in terms of resolution.
What about Bandwidth
Even on low bandwith basic 3g can produce 384Kbps so you wont have to worry about your video cutting out assuming Apple uses the same engine from Snow Leopard requiring just 300Kbps. This doesn’t even count the fact that 3G is continually getting faster.
What about Processing Power Required
Currently in iChat AV the requirments are as follows
Minimum requirements for 1-to-1 video conferencing
| Good | Better | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video resolution (in pixels) | 160-by-120 | 320-by-240 | 640-by-480 |
| System required | All Leopard-compatible Macs are supported | 1.8 GHz G5, 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo | 1.83 Intel Core Duo or Dual 2 GHz G5. |
| Bandwidth required | 100 Kbps Internet connection (up/down) | 300 Kbps Internet connection (up/down) | 900 Kbps Internet connection (up/down) |
This is currently where Apple is going to have a problem and why it is not currently offered. The current chip in the iPhone is the ARM Cortex A8 processor which runs at 600mhz and is paired with an Open GL compatible graphics card. Well come 2010 this is all going to change….
ARM is prepared to launch a dual core version of this chip that uses the same or even less power. In case you are not familiar with what dual core means the Wikipedia link is below.
A Dual Core processor in the iPhone is going to give Apple 75% to 100% improvement in performance without sipping anymore power off the battery. This is important because who wants to have their iPhone run out of battery after video conferencing for 10 minutes?
Assuming Apple makes no advancements in the graphics chip in the iPhone and simply puts in the dual core processor by ARM in 2010 then customers will get the video conferencing they so desire. The bandwith is there now, the efficiencies in the codec have been achieved by Apple with Snow Leopard and even the optics at their current state in the iPhone 3GS make it all possible.
2010 can not come soon enough.
