iPhone 4 and iPad 2 Users in Australia Will be Able to FaceTime Over Cellular Network?
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iPhone 4 and iPad 2 Users in Australia Will be Able to FaceTime Over Cellular Network?
Yesterday, we told you about the new iOS 6 features that won't be available on older iOS devices, which included FaceTime over cellular that won't be avail...
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I don't see why it wouldn't be available here in Australia. We have at least one really good DC-HSPA 3G network (Telstra) they have excellent coverage nationally and very few capacity/speed issues.
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According to what I've read the US site actually used to match what the Australian site said, but was later changed, so (if true) my guess is that the Australian site will be updated at some point. The same thing happened with iOS 5 when a feature was switched from iPhone 4 to 4S only.
That said as to why Apple would restrict FaceTime to the 4S and iPad (3rd generation) is because both support 4G. Well the 4S doesn't really support 4G, but it does have support HSPA+ on AT&T. I'm not sure where that leaves the Sprint and Verizon models of the 4S. 3G should be good enough to do FaceTime so the restriction is really arbitrary. Regardless of all that though, Apple wants to sell iPhones and people with the iPhone 4 should be near the end of their contract by the time iOS 6 (and presumably the iPhone 5) comes out so why give something to them for free when Apple wants them to update anyway. Apple has a history of only adding the best new features to the latest model of their devices, regardless if the older devices would support it or not (the VIP email not being added to the 3S is a good example).
The people who really get screwed are iPad 2 (and unlocked iPhone) users who paid full price and won't be getting FaceTime over cellular. Unlike iPhones, I doubt iPad users will be buying new iPads every 2 years (I know I won't). Apple seems to think otherwise as iOS 6 won't even install on the original iPad which came out a little over 2 years ago. I guess the "upside" is most iPad 2 purchases have the WiFi only model so it won't affect them. I have both an iPhone 4S and an iPad 2 so I'll just have to use the 4S for FaceTime over cellular. -
@Mike though some of the features missing in older iOS devices is questionable ... doubt this feature will push people to upgrade to a new iPhone
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This is why we jailbreak, so we can use my3G etc, apple can sod off, let them release the "basic" IOS, and let the cydia devs make it what it should be.
