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AT&T survey hints at iChat on iPhone?

updated 03:05 am EDT, Mon July 9, 2007

iChat coming to the iPhone


On the heels of bad press about its activation and customer support processes, AT&T last week began sending a survey to some iPhone customers asking them to rate various aspects of their iPhone experience. One page of the survey asks "Now, based on the scale below, please rate the EDGE data network performance when using each of the following applications on your Apple iPhone." The survey oddly asks for feedback on Apple's own iChat instant messaging application -- which of course, is not available on the device, but is much reqquested feature. Some speculate that it could be a precursor to an iPhone software update to include iChat on the phone; however, it could simply be a mistake on the part of the survey writer, perhaps conflating iChat with the iPhone SMS messaging application that closely resembles iChat under Mac OS X.

Other applications for which AT&T requests feedback include Stocks, Weather, YouTube, and "Search" -- another somewhat out of place question since there is no universal search function on the iPhone, only search engine capabilities built into Safari.

Last week some pundits predicted that Flash capabilities may be coming to the iPhone within the next two months. A similar software update could very well bring instant messaging functionality to the device. Currently, iPhone users can access somewhat kludgy instant messaging functionality through the Web-based Meebo service.





by MacNN Staff

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  1. mmmdoughnuts

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2006

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    07/09, 09:13am | report spam | Reply |

    let me at that survey

    Why can you NOT talk on the phone and access email or the web at the same time?! Please tell me that this is not a limitation of the EDGE network...

  1. nativeNYer

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2005

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    07/09, 09:38am | report spam | Reply |

    iChat = SMS?

    Um, isn't it possible this is just a misnomer on AT&T's part, and that by 'iChat' they actually meant the SMS application on the iPhone? After all, the SMS app DOES look a bit like iChat, so maybe that's what they were referring to, especially since SMS is not listed in the survey.

  1. chotty

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2003

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    07/09, 09:43am | report spam | Reply |

    Ate T'an Tee

    My transfer from Verizon was a laborious process, quite annoying until you "luck-out" and get a rep who has a grasp of english or even basic competency skills. Also, I have tried AIM on Meebo at least 8X and it never, ever works... iChat, copy & paste, Flash, video from camera & search in the first update, iPhone please!

  1. MiMiC

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jun 2007

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    07/09, 10:07am | report spam | Reply |

    Copy & Paste

    Chotty: I agree. Why no C&P? iChat also please.

    I do have a feeling that the hardware was first concern, and software is updated as we go along.

    i hope :)

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

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    07/09, 11:28am | report spam | Reply |

    Forget talking

    Apparently if you're using EDGE, your phone won't even ring. Send all calls over to voicemail directly. Nice, so if you actually got the thing because you need to always be available for phone calls, then you're spending $20 a month for a service you can't use.

  1. Guest

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 1999

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    07/09, 11:50am | report spam | Reply |

    wrong again, testudo

    Check page 27 of the iPhone manual:

    Making or Answering a Second Call During a Call - You can make or receive another call while you’re already on the phone. If you receive a second call, iPhone beeps and shows the caller’s information and a list of options.

    To ignore the call and send it to voicemail, tap Ignore. To hold the first call and answer the new call, tap Hold Call + Answer. To end the first call and answer the new one, tap Hold Call + Answer.

  1. jasong

    Mac Elite

    Joined: Mar 2000

    0
    07/09, 12:02pm | report spam | Reply |

    wrong again guest

    Using data is not the same thing as making a second call. If you are browsing the web, the incoming call does go directly to VM.

  1. MacnnGregor

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2004

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    07/09, 02:51pm | report spam | Reply |

    jasong

    Seems to me that would be a "setting' of some sort. I don't have an iPhone, but it seems an obvious s/w update though.

  1. roberto

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jun 2007

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    07/09, 08:30pm | report spam | Reply |

    re guest's commnts...

    "To ignore the call and send it to voicemail, tap Ignore. To hold the first call and answer the new call, tap Hold Call + Answer. To end the first call and answer the new one, tap Hold Call + Answer."

    i would be nice if you also had the option of 'ignore with SMS' as with the palm treo 680

    also, the fact they've 'forgotten' to add fundamental / prerequisite features such as copy/paste and a system wide search is pretty, and undeniably, poor : (

    roll on software updates / iPhone2...

  1. namannik

    Senior User

    Joined: Nov 1999

    0
    07/10, 08:54pm | report spam | Reply |

    conflating?

    Who is writing this c***?

    "however, it could simply be a mistake on the part of the survey writer, perhaps conflating iChat with the iPhone SMS messaging application that closely resembles iChat under Mac OS X"

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