Continuing my Predictions for 2005, I covered video calling in my fifth in the series:
5. Video Calling
As 3G handset penetration slowly increases, there will be more people to call. Conventional thinking should suggest that this means more people will start using video calling.
But why would they want to? I’m still not convinced people are ready for this, apart from niche applications, like deaf users being able to see sign language.
Dating is being hailed as the big white hope, but if you ever try a video call, you’ll notice that it makes you look downright ugly, with a huge double chin. If you hold the camera at a more flattering angle, you’re holding it at arm’s length, above your head and feeling pretty silly.
We will see more and more headlines about mobile flashing. And the adult uses of mobile video calling will be another growing niche.
But mainstream? Not yet.
Update: Tom Hume’s response to this was that perhaps the key is not person to person that’s relevant here, more place to place. In other words, I might call Tom in England to show him the wonderful snow and brilliant sunshine (perfect for tomorrow’s ski trip!) and he might show me errr….Brighton’s glowering, dull skies and grey, uninviting sea.
This is a very good point and I can see there’s loads of practical applications as well as social/gloating ones. For instance, I may want to show a courier company a parcel that has been smashed up or prove photographically that their driver was late. An real/estate agent might want a colleague’s second opinion on a property or to film a bank robbery and beam it to the police.
So video calling becomes a way of evidencing or recording stuff on a daily basis.
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