About the missing FFC (front facing cam)

[Doon]

I have seen people say "it's not a big deal," "I will never use it," "who cares."

I finally logged back in (it's been a while) to say that it is a big deal - and it will matter. Here is the future:

November:
New version of android is coming... be it 2.3/2.5/ or 3.0. This new fancy version will be the thing to push android past apple in the design/UI department. (Thank you ex-Palm OS designer!)

November:
A couple great phones launch between black Friday and January. These phones have CPU's and tech like you haven't dreamed of, Front facing cams, and are LTE ready. It will be a big step forward. I am curious how battery life will handle the rumored dual core CPUs.

About the same time frame:
Verizon launches LTE. This may or may not be a fast roll-out.

Front facing cams will be the norm for high end phones once LTE is launched. It will be a distinguishing feature - it will be a tangible difference in user experience between 3G and 4G. This feature will be made all the better with the new UI, the amazing tech, and the new network. The iphone4 launched with a FFC b/c apple launches just one iphone per year and it needed to be able to keep pace with all the sweet tech coming out this holiday season. Verizon and android can afford to wait since they have a quality new phone every couple months. (the verizon iphone rumors fit well here. if a verizon iphone is launched in january with LTE and a FFC - it will not have any hardware advantage over the At&t product - i am sure this is key for maintaining a happy-ish At&t)

The problem for us android supporters on Verizon is that we will buy new phones this summer and they will be out of date faster than at&t iphone4 buyers b/c the iphone4 is ready for the generation leap that is coming. This summer's android phones are not ready. A front facing cam would help with future proofing our summer purchases.

This is compounded by the fact that we will be locked into new contracts at least until summer 2011 - and that is a long 6 months to be without the latest and greatest (we gotta be honest - we all like being at the bleeding edge if we are posting on a phone forum)! So, I am trying to decide if I should wait until Nov. to upgrade... and deal with my vx6900 for 5 MORE MONTHS! or deal with being behind the curve on network, hardware, and features for half a year...

tough call, but i predict that video calling will be all the rage when LTE launches. the Skype partnership was made for a reason. i personally can't wait.

 

[EliC]

Its not an LTE phone. Until you have an LTE phone I don't care about FFC. It doesn't have one, so if thats all you care about get the X.

 

[hanano17]

The X doesn't have a FFC either.

OP, sorry but you still didn't give a real good reason why FFC is an ideal and important feature. You basically said it will be popular to note a high end smart phone, not how it is useful, practical, or some other important use. I don't see myself trying to hold the stupid phone a few feet from my face to video chat all the time. It's nothing but a neat feature you might use once in a while, not a key feature that is determinative of a successful high end smart phone. Also, like EliC said, none of Verizon's current or announced phones are LTE capable or have FFC. If this is such a deal breaker to you for whatever reason, wait until the winter or go to Sprint.

 

[DKYang]

Everyone is talking about the "future." The only ones that should be talking about the future are the companies that make product.

When I buy something now, I want it to work now with the features that I use. I don't care if FFC will be the norm by the end of the year because that's still half a year away. If it does become a norm, then I can simply sell my current phone and buy a new one if I really wanted the FFC.

If you always think about the future, then you are never going to buy a phone since there's always something better coming out every couple months.

 

[Doon]

The future vs. Now:

When you buy a phone you must have an insight into the future... Just like buying a car. You don't buy a sport coupe when you just got married and will be expecting babies in 12 months. What you do today is profoundly related to what you do tomorrow. Not considering this is simply a waste of time and money.

The contract length must be measured against movements in technology. This next 6 months will see things moving fast. To the poster who said it is for companies to think about the future... Well, good for you, just be a happy consumer lacking imagination, letting big brother tell you what's good for you.

In general, I am not interested in making you believe me when I say that a FRont camera will be a big deal. I know it will be. I am simply looking big picture as I make the best choice in my next 2 yr commitment. I may end up getting the x. But I may also wait for the first lte options. All I am advocating is thoughtful discussion and informed consumerism. Best wishes!

 

[DKYang]

The future vs. Now:

When you buy a phone you must have an insight into the future... Just like buying a car. You don't buy a sport coupe when you just got married and will be expecting babies in 12 months. What you do today is profoundly related to what you do tomorrow. Not considering this is simply a waste of time and money.

Well that's an obvious decision. I'm not talking about cars though. I'm talking about phones. You aren't making that big of a investment with phones like you do with cars. I know not everyone is rich and I'm not saying everyone is.

The contract length must be measured against movements in technology. This next 6 months will see things moving fast. To the poster who said it is for companies to think about the future... Well, good for you, just be a happy consumer lacking imagination, letting big brother tell you what's good for you.

Whoa whoa, who said I was lacking imagination? I'm talking about phones here. The ones who decides what features the phones get, hardware, design, etc etc are the companies. Am I wrong on this? They are the ones that decides what the future phones will have.

In general, I am not interested in making you believe me when I say that a FRont camera will be a big deal. I know it will be. I am simply looking big picture as I make the best choice in my next 2 yr commitment. I may end up getting the x. But I may also wait for the first lte options. All I am advocating is thoughtful discussion and informed consumerism. Best wishes!

Good for you. I'm also just stating my decision and I'm talking about phones.

But hey, we're probably not on the same page here. I'm just talking about phones in general, not making life changing decisions like dropping out of college or anything.

 

[Steven58]

Hey guys! This is starting to get personal! We can debate phones but we must not get personal. That's a sure way to get the thread closed and get reprimanded. Please read the zero tolerance policy. Thanks guys.

 

[Doon]

No personal attack intended... Just a fundamentally different perspective. I think it needs to be the consumer that drive the market trends, rewarding companies who best respond to those trends. But certainly,this is not a one way street. You make good points.

Again, best wishes.

Hope the x is a great phone for you. I also may have to get it as 1/4 of my screen is dead on my current phone...

Also: love this forum.

 

[Steven58]

I have the 6900. I bought the Incredible and returned it because of call quality. The crazy thing nowadays is that todays android is outdated a month or two after its debut!
That's how fast things are moving. You have to jump in sometime. You have to make phone calls!

PS: the call quality of the 6900 is fantastic for me.

 

[droid_head]

I returned my Inc and glad I did. I'm going to wait til my contract expires in Nov., wait and see this next generation of phones and I think I will be glad I did.

Got my eye on the Fascinate. Looks like the true iPhone contender. (never heard that before)

 

[Don S]

.... I don't see myself trying to hold the stupid phone a few feet from my face to video chat all the time. It's nothing but a neat feature you might use once in a while, not a key feature that is determinative of a successful high end smart phone. ....

So very true. I mean seriously. It will be cool and interesting for maybe 4 days after you get it. Then, we wont want to walk around all day holding your arm 3 feet away from you. It's a novelty for me, and that's all ..

 

[droid_head]

So very true. I mean seriously. It will be cool and interesting for maybe 4 days after you get it. Then, we wont want to walk around all day holding your arm 3 feet away from you. It's a novelty for me, and that's all ..

One scenario i can see this being useful for is if your your wife/gf was away on a trip. She could put on a little show for you. Just a thought.

 

[EliC]

One scenario i can see this being useful for is if your your wife/gf was away on a trip. She could put on a little show for you. Just a thought.

No LTE, so it would need to be over WiFi and wouldn't you prefer the higher resolution normal camera anyway?

 

[droid_head]

No LTE, so it would need to be over WiFi and wouldn't you prefer the higher resolution normal camera anyway?

i think a hotel or private residence would have wifi available. i would hope my wife/gf would not be out on a park bench doing a private show for me.

 

[droid_head]

So very true. I mean seriously. It will be cool and interesting for maybe 4 days after you get it. Then, we wont want to walk around all day holding your arm 3 feet away from you. It's a novelty for me, and that's all ..

For the time being, I'm going to hold off til fall and see what this new wave of Droids bring. I think there are some exciting things around the corner. Although I really want a Droid phone right now, I'm going to exercise some will power. I think it will pay off.

 

[Nicks88]

For the time being, I'm going to hold off til fall and see what this new wave of Droids bring. I think there are some exciting things around the corner. Although I really want a Droid phone right now, I'm going to exercise some will power. I think it will pay off.

I will be that devil on your shoulder saying "Go ahead and get a new phone, you deserve it!". You can wait and exercise will power, but something newer and better will always be around the corner. Pull the trigger and get this phone when it drops. Sign up for a year contract as well, so when it is up, LTE phones should be catching some steam (that's my plan of attack). I'm really just trying to get as many people interested in this phone as I want the community to be close to the Droids numbers.

 

[droid_head]

I will be that devil on your shoulder saying "Go ahead and get a new phone, you deserve it!". You can wait and exercise will power, but something newer and better will always be around the corner. Pull the trigger and get this phone when it drops. Sign up for a year contract as well, so when it is up, LTE phones should be catching some steam (that's my plan of attack). I'm really just trying to get as many people interested in this phone as I want the community to be close to the Droids numbers.

I was really referring to waiting until my contract is up in Oct or Nov. so I can get into a 1yr contract. The way the Droid phones are flying at us, I would always be waiting for the next best thing.
I got the early upgrade back in May, but don't know if I would have to wait til this contract is up to renew for the 1yr. Haven't gotten around to calling them to see.

 

[Nicks88]

I was really referring to waiting until my contract is up in Oct or Nov. so I can get into a 1yr contract. The way the Droid phones are flying at us, I would always be waiting for the next best thing.
I got the early upgrade back in May, but don't know if I would have to wait til this contract is up to renew for the 1yr. Haven't gotten around to calling them to see.

Gotcha...yea, the 1 year contract seems to be the way to go with the amount of android phones constantly coming at us.

 

[droid_head]

Gotcha...yea, the 1 year contract seems to be the way to go with the amount of android phones constantly coming at us.

I hadn't even heard about the 1yr contract til i got in this forum. I think the Fascinate will be good to go for a while. I would be happy with it right now. I am curious about the dual processor phones. That sounds interesting if its true.

 

[Nicks88]

This phone rooted, OC'd, and running a vanilla version of the android OS (Bugless Beast anyone?) would be amazing. That's what I'm hoping for!

 

[D13]

This phone rooted, OC'd, and running a vanilla version of the android OS (Bugless Beast anyone?) would be amazing. That's what I'm hoping for!

I just got so excited. I think there will be plenty of support because of the 2 phones that are going to be top of the line for the next 5-6 months( X and Fascinate) only one of them has already been rooted and can easily have a custom ROM installed on it.

 

[Wolfedude88]

I just got so excited. I think there will be plenty of support because of the 2 phones that are going to be top of the line for the next 5-6 months( X and Fascinate) only one of them has already been rooted and can easily have a custom ROM installed on it.

That is if the Fascinate is released anytime soon, who knows when they are going to release it. And with how Android phones are being pumped out now, they would be lucky to be top of the line for 5 to 6 months. No doubt they will still be great phones, but maybe not top of the line.

 

[Blacklight82]

Agreed. FFC are needed nowadays.

 

[Old Man]

Agreed. FFC are needed nowadays.

It's bad enough trying to get everyone in the bar to be quiet or make it sound like you're somewhere else, imagine trying to handle that for video as well!

Seriously, not arguing the point but what uses do you envision that would make front facing cameras needed? How many people that would have phones that supported those uses might also have laptops or computers that they might use for the same purposes?

 

[ghdtpdna]

It's bad enough trying to get everyone in the bar to be quiet or make it sound like you're somewhere else, imagine trying to handle that for video as well!

Seriously, not arguing the point but what uses do you envision that would make front facing cameras needed? How many people that would have phones that supported those uses might also have laptops or computers that they might use for the same purposes?

What!
You are saying that you don't want to show it off to your friends!!