User profile for user: xian09
xian09 Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Facetime "WORKS" in airplane mode! Duh!!

So i read an article in engadget regarding a man making facetime in the airplane using the plane wifi! That was totally cool. So i was wondering if he had any cellular signal to make it work and i've been trying to find a topic regarding how to use facetime (i know how to do it, but i wanted clear instructions and technical knowledge on how it really works)

Anyway, Facetime "works" on airplane mode. Period. I've tested it with two iPhone 4 with wifi on and it work!

It might be old news to everybody else, but i just figured it out now. Not sure about how video calling works on other phones and country, but i know that some still require some sort of cellular signal (3G) to make it work..

Okay now back to the "iPhone trash talking".. Lol

iPhone 4, iOS 4

Posted on Jul 14, 2010 3:20 PM

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16 replies
User profile for user: Kingfish31
Kingfish31
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jul 14, 2010 3:41 PM in response to sn4p2k

sn4p2k wrote:
I wonder how this is possible as you have to make a regular phone call on facetime


I'm no authority -- because I haven't even used the FaceTime on my iphone 4 -- but if you go to a contact, one of the options (e.g., "Text Message," "Share Contact") is "FaceTime." If you click on that while not on a WiFi network, it gives you an error message that you need to be on WiFi. So perhaps if you and the other user are on WiFi that you can initiate a FaceTime call without making a traditional cell call. Just an idea.
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User profile for user: kaluzu
kaluzu
User level: Level 1
55 points

Jul 14, 2010 3:44 PM in response to xian09

xian09 wrote:
Anyway, Facetime "works" on airplane mode. Period. I've tested it with two iPhone 4 with wifi on and it work!

you can do this from a contact itself. open the contact and then scroll down, and click facetime. voila. nice find.
you probably must be connected to the same access point?

Message was edited by: kaluzu
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User profile for user: Kingfish31
Kingfish31
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jul 14, 2010 3:54 PM in response to Edmund Pirali

But I believe it relies on the phone call/cell data portion to find and connect to the iPhone's wifi address, otherwise how can it know where to talk to?


Good point, but probably not the case. Consider Steve J.'s slide that millions of FaceTime enabled devices will be out this year. I've got to believe that some are Macs and ipod touches, neither of which rely on cell signals (excepting, of course, those that use USB modems).
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User profile for user: Edmund Pirali
Edmund Pirali
User level: Level 2
308 points

Jul 14, 2010 4:12 PM in response to Kingfish31

Kingfish31 wrote:
But I believe it relies on the phone call/cell data portion to find and connect to the iPhone's wifi address, otherwise how can it know where to talk to?


Good point, but probably not the case. Consider Steve J.'s slide that millions of FaceTime enabled devices will be out this year. I've got to believe that some are Macs and ipod touches, neither of which rely on cell signals (excepting, of course, those that use USB modems).


Good point, maybe the cellular number is used as an id by centralized servers to find other users.
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User profile for user: xian09
xian09 Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Jul 14, 2010 10:56 PM in response to kaluzu

You just have to consider how airplane mode works, it's like not even having a sim card in your phone.. Now picture this, iPhone 4 being like a yahoo messenger platform, then connect to the internet, turn on the webcam, and viola, just like facetime...

You just have to have a really good wifi signal coz there were times that our facetime could not connect instantly.
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User profile for user: xian09
xian09 Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Jul 14, 2010 11:23 PM in response to Allan Sampson

I actually didn't follow the steps on what your link says... I just tapped facetime and it was connecting to the other iPhone 4.

but of course you really need to consider how the heck does that work, you can't just have a random name on your contact list, and just tap facetime right? or should I say, create a full name of a friend without a number and yes, there is an option for facetime after you saved it, but it's definitely not gonna work. lol It's probably because my friend's At&T number/mac address/whatever is already registered in Apple's/AT&T's database that's why it worked...

Apple should be more specific when they say on their feature "iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 over Wi-Fi. And it works right out of the box."
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User profile for user: mdntblu
mdntblu
User level: Level 1
4 points

Jul 14, 2010 11:29 PM in response to xian09

Basically the first time you turn on Facetime on your phone it takes about 2-3 minutes for it to register to the server. They have a facetime server that all the facetime connections register to. So you don't have to have a phone number but that's how the iPhone 4 currently does it. When it gets more widespread and say Microsoft picks it up to work with Xbox 360 and the new Kinect camera then you'll have to have a contact in your list with that persons MS Gamertag which was previously registered to the Facetime server. I hope more companies pick it up even like the Nintendo DSi has a camera and wifi. Then I could call my kids DSi when I'm on a trip and talk to them via video chat.
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Facetime "WORKS" in airplane mode! Duh!!

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