Will AT&T Charge for FaceTime on the iPhone?

One of the new perks in Apple?s next version of iOS, the operating system for iPhones, is that people will be able to do FaceTime video calls over the cellular network instead of just on Wi-Fi. But a menu in an early version of the software suggests that AT&T is considering charging a separate fee for the privilege.

When you attempt to place a FaceTime call in the latest version of the iOS 6 beta, a menu pops up requiring activation of the service through AT&T. That implies that AT&T could offer FaceTime as a separate AT&T service. An Apple blog, 9to5Mac, spotted the menu.

A beta is unfinished software, so the existence of the menu doesn?t mean this is definitely happening. Mark Siegel, an AT&T spokesman, said the company was still working with Apple on the software.??We?re now working with Apple on the new developer build of iOS6, and we?ll share more information with our customers as it becomes available,? he said in a statement.

AT&T customers already have to pay monthly fees for the data they consume on their smartphones, so it is not entirely logical that video calls would be a separate charge. However, the carrier already charges a separate fee to use a smartphone as a hot spot, sharing its Internet connection with other devices like laptops.

There are third-party apps in the App Store that let you video chat for free over a cellular network, like Oovoo. But one advantage of FaceTime is that it?s integrated into the iPhone?s phone app. When you?re talking on the phone, you can press a button to switch over to a FaceTime call.

Would you pay a separate fee for video calls? Let us know in the comments.

Source: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/17/facetime-iphone-att-charge/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

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