
Apple takes great care of Facetime, its audio and video calling service. In iOS 17 we have, among others, as a novelty, being able to record video messages on Facetime if they do not answer us, which will be notified to that person. Let’s see how all this works.
Facetime, in a nutshell
facetime is the video calling application developed by Apple that allows users to make audio and video calls over a data connection. Since its launch in 2010, Facetime has evolved to become an essential communication tool for millions of Apple device users around the world.
Facetime was first introduced in 2010 as an exclusive feature of the iPhone 4. At the time, Facetime only allowed video calls between two Apple devices, and it only worked over a Wi-Fi connection (not cellular data).
However, video and audio quality was impressive for the time (thanks to the high-quality front-facing cameras that iPhones have always featured), and Facetime quickly became one of the iPhone 4’s most popular features.
As always, Apple was neither the first nor the last to develop video calling between devices, but Apple’s seal of quality in everything it does is clearly seen with Facetimeand above all, in the simplicity of establishing the video call and communicating.
Evolution
Over time, Apple has expanded the functionality of Facetime to include group audio and video calling, as well as the ability to make calls over a mobile data connection (something that became more common and common with the advent of the 4G technology).
Additionally, Apple released versions of Facetime for its other devices: iPad, iPod Touch and the entire Mac range, allowing more Apple device users to enjoy the Facetime experience.
But in order not to limit ourselves only between Apple devices, Since iOS 15 there is the possibility of sending a web link to communicate with Facetime with other people who do not have an Apple devicewhich increases its compatibility with people who use Android or Windows as their operating system, making it more universal.
Pros and cons of Facetime
Although there are other more popular and widespread video calling services such as Skype, Zoom, Google Duo and WhatsApp, Facetime has some advantages that make it stand out from the rest.
Advantages of Facetime
- Image and sound quality: Facetime offers superior image and sound quality than other video calling services.
- Integration with the Apple ecosystem: Facetime is built into the Apple ecosystem, allowing for greater ease of use and better syncing between devices.
- Security and privacy– Facetime uses end-to-end encryption to ensure the security and privacy of video calls.
Facetime Limitations
Only one comes to mind at this moment:
- Group video calls: Facetime only allows group video calls of up to 32 people, which may be insufficient for some situations.
However, who uses group calls with more than 32 people? Large companies may be there for their staff meetings or project work meetings with a lot of staff, but that’s what there are professional services for and not a simple Facetime call.
Among other things, because the purpose of Facetime is to communicate with simple people, and Apple understands that more than 32 in the same call is enough to not lose your mind with a group call.
What’s new for Facetime in iOS 17
The latest iOS 17 update brings several new features for Facetime. We tell you about the new Facetime features in iOS 17:
- Now it is possible leaving video or audio messages when someone doesn’t answer a Facetime call. This is similar to leaving a voicemail on a missed phone call.
- facetime now supports 3D reactions that are activated by certain hand gestures. There are emotes for hearts, confetti, fireworks and more. These effects are fun and add a touch of fun to video calls.
- Is it possible to use Facetime on Apple TV. You can use your iPhone as a camera and start a call directly from the Facetime app on Apple TV, or transfer the call from your iPhone to your TV.
- Also privacy improvements have been addedsuch as sensitive content warnings to prevent users from seeing nude images in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app, and Facetime messages.
- Besides, Search improvements have been added to find messages faster and the ability to customize what people see when they call through Contact Poster.
How to leave video messages on Facetime?
It is quite simple and comfortable. Simply make a video call on Facetime to any of our contacts. If that person does not answer us, we can either call them again or record a video message that will notify them that we have called them. and so we will show you what we wanted to tell you or just tell you to call us when you have a moment.
In essence, Apple tries to ensure that we do not lose the nuances and details of the message we want to convey at that momentand since a picture is worth a thousand words, indeed, the sensations, body language, facial expressions of the exact moment in which we want to convey a messagethey may not be the same as when we contact that person again.
Operation is as simple as Virtual Voicemail. When we are recording video messages on Facetime that we want to leave with the person who has not answered us, we can see what we have recorded before sending it and record another message, deleting the previous one if we don’t like it.
It’s more, We can save that video message made on Facetime in our Photo gallery.
Conclusion
Facetime is one of Apple’s communication standards and that is why it tries to renew it regularly. Over time, Facetime is not only exclusive to Apple devices (as iMessage continues to be), but from Android devices or Windows computers, you can also receive Facetime calls, making it a universal tool.
This new feature of recording video messages on Facetime makes it possible to leave a video message to that person who, for whatever reason, has not been able to answer us.so that we can leave our message recorded and hope that when you see it, the message we wanted to convey at that moment does not lose its essence.
With this new feature implemented in iOS 17, Facetime makes it possible for us to be better connected even despite not having been able to contact. What are you waiting for? Have you already tried recording a video message on Facetime? Tell us your experiences in the comments.