Windows Phone 7 firmware hints FaceTime-style video chat
updated 04:35 pm EST, Tue January 11, 2011
WP7 to get internal video and VoIP chat
Microsoft was confirmed this weekend to already have code in place for a FaceTime-like video chat system in Windows Phone 7. A DLL handling media in the OS makes reference to a 'self portrait camera,' and a second scoop has also unearthed registry entries for VoIP and SIP support for voice-only features like Skype. Neowin in finding the info noted that all of the features were set to off and didn't have write permissions to switch them on.
The discoveries backed off-hand remarks by a WP7 team member that Microsoft should have an app that would provide video chat and other features through Windows Live. It wouldn't just adhere to standards and would go 'beyond the hand of Skype' in its feature set, the company claimed.
WP7 might not get the feature. Microsoft's worker implied that WP8, due at some unspecified point in the future, might not only support a front camera but could consider it a minimum part of a phone's spec.
The implementations could see Microsoft catch up relatively quickly in features. Microsoft at CES said it would add relatively basic features like copy-and-paste text this month, but Windows Phone 8 could arrive as soon as this year if the company is on the promised faster update cycle versus Windows Mobile.
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Calling all copy machines
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Keep those copy machines cranked up.