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Is there anything that sets FaceTime apart from cheaper competitors like WhatsApp / Signal video calling in this aspect of ease of use? (I say cheaper because

Is there anything that sets FaceTime apart from cheaper competitors like WhatsApp / Signal video calling in this aspect of ease of use? (I say cheaper because you don't need to buy an iDevice to use those)

xrisk 5y ago
You can take the call on a computer?
- reayn 5y ago
  macs come with facetime preinstalled (the newer ones at least) and you can send facetime links to people and they can join using the web client if they dont have a mac.
- benhurmarcel 5y ago
  Only on a mac.
masterof0 5y ago
Don't you also need to buy a phone/computer/tablet to use whatsapp or signal? How does whatsapp is cheaper than facetime? But anyway, yeah, I noticed Facetime's both video and audio calls have better quality, in my personal experience. Also, most if not all my friends and family use iDevices, so I dont need to convince them to install signal/whatsapp/telegram etc... But YMMV.
- thisisussbs 5y ago
  Yes but a practical new Android phone with reasonable spec (I don't mean cheap Chinese oems with 1gb ram) can be had for $100 and can run WhatsApp/signal fine. The cheapest iphone is $399 iirc, the high entry costs that disqualifies a lot of people even in the US and certainly abroad where apple tax difference compare to base currency of usd399 exceeds regional sales tax differences (mexico for example)
  - copperx 5y ago
    True. That $399 iPhone SE is sold for $540 in Mexico at the Apple store. And middle-class Mexicans have between 1/3 to 1/10 of the buying power of an American counterpart.
  - andrecarini 5y ago
    In Brazil a new iPhone 6 costs about two months of the national average raw income, while a cheap Android alternative would be about 1/3rd to 1/4th of an average monthly salary.
    - sgt 5y ago
      Does average monthly salary mean much if the majority is really poor? Assuming you are middle class, here. Also: you probably mean iPhone 12. The 6 is quite old. I remember my 6 very well as I fell on my motorcycle and I pulled this banana shaped phone out of my pocket.
      - thisisussbs 5y ago
        News flash the $399 model is based off 6 or 7
      - andrecarini 5y ago
        > Also: you probably mean iPhone 12. The 6 is quite old I definitely meant the 6. Minimum monthly wage (formal jobs, before taxes): R$1100 New iPhone 6: R$1700 ~ R$2400 New iPhone 12: R$7700 ~ R$10000 > Does average monthly salary mean much if the majority is really poor? For those poor and outside the formal job market, buying a new iPhone (even the older ones) are out of reach or a very significant investment.
        sgt 5y ago
        Off topic... but Brazil is such a wonderful country with great people. The insane import taxes are not fair and I don't think it helps the economy - rather the opposite.
    - 5y ago
- tsjq 5y ago
  >How does whatsapp is cheaper than facetime? Whatsapp ,Skype, Telegram, Google Duo, etc apps work fine on Android phones which are lots less expensive than Apple Devices that are needed for Facetime
  - sgt 5y ago
    Trust me, you don't want to put family on Android. My mother started out with Android (to save money), and she never even fully understood how the bottom buttons worked. I became the customer care. Now she's on iPhone and there's no support burden. Phew.
    - benhurmarcel 5y ago
      You don’t usually get to choose what devices people buy. All my family is on Android simply because they’re not interested enough in tech to spend triple the price on an Apple device, and there’s nothing I can say to make them spend that much.
      - sgt 5y ago
        Fair enough, but often family members will go to you for advice. So based on your advice, you'll also get the support calls :-)
sgt 5y ago
Definitely easier to use than any of the alternatives. An intuitive video calling system should do just that: video (and/or audio), not chat. Firstly; she has not heard of WhatsApp, it would have to be taught to her that it is a chat app that has additional functionality to allow phone and video calls. Blank stare. She does not chat and has no interest in doing that. The UI of WhatsApp is confusing and unintuitive if you assume you know nearly nothing except that you want to make a video call.
- what_ever 5y ago
  There is Google Duo that just does video calling. > Firstly; she has not heard of WhatsApp I am pretty sure she had not heard of FaceTime as well before you introduced it to her? :) Disc: Googler.
  - sgt 5y ago
    Yeah, definitely some training is needed for that age group. It will be easier for you and me when we grow to be 100+ years old. She clicks on the green symbol that shows a video camera, maybe that helps to recognize. I am sure Google Duo would have an understandable icon as well, so you raise a good point.
lostlogin 5y ago
> Is there anything that sets FaceTime apart from cheaper competitors like WhatsApp Not signing up to anything Facebook is the first criteria in any service I want to use.
shuckles 5y ago
It integrates well with your mobile phone number as identity. Add a SIM to an iPhone and you can FaceTime it in the same way you’d call it.

xrisk 5y ago

You can take the call on a computer?

reayn 5y ago
macs come with facetime preinstalled (the newer ones at least) and you can send facetime links to people and they can join using the web client if they dont have a mac.
benhurmarcel 5y ago
Only on a mac.

masterof0 5y ago

Don't you also need to buy a phone/computer/tablet to use whatsapp or signal? How does whatsapp is cheaper than facetime? But anyway, yeah, I noticed Facetime's both video and audio calls have better quality, in my personal experience. Also, most if not all my friends and family use iDevices, so I dont need to convince them to install signal/whatsapp/telegram etc... But YMMV.

thisisussbs 5y ago
Yes but a practical new Android phone with reasonable spec (I don't mean cheap Chinese oems with 1gb ram) can be had for $100 and can run WhatsApp/signal fine. The cheapest iphone is $399 iirc, the high entry costs that disqualifies a lot of people even in the US and certainly abroad where apple tax difference compare to base currency of usd399 exceeds regional sales tax differences (mexico for example)
- copperx 5y ago
  True. That $399 iPhone SE is sold for $540 in Mexico at the Apple store. And middle-class Mexicans have between 1/3 to 1/10 of the buying power of an American counterpart.
- andrecarini 5y ago
  In Brazil a new iPhone 6 costs about two months of the national average raw income, while a cheap Android alternative would be about 1/3rd to 1/4th of an average monthly salary.
  - sgt 5y ago
    Does average monthly salary mean much if the majority is really poor? Assuming you are middle class, here. Also: you probably mean iPhone 12. The 6 is quite old. I remember my 6 very well as I fell on my motorcycle and I pulled this banana shaped phone out of my pocket.
    - thisisussbs 5y ago
      News flash the $399 model is based off 6 or 7
    - andrecarini 5y ago
      > Also: you probably mean iPhone 12. The 6 is quite old I definitely meant the 6. Minimum monthly wage (formal jobs, before taxes): R$1100 New iPhone 6: R$1700 ~ R$2400 New iPhone 12: R$7700 ~ R$10000 > Does average monthly salary mean much if the majority is really poor? For those poor and outside the formal job market, buying a new iPhone (even the older ones) are out of reach or a very significant investment.
      - sgt 5y ago
        Off topic... but Brazil is such a wonderful country with great people. The insane import taxes are not fair and I don't think it helps the economy - rather the opposite.
  - 5y ago
tsjq 5y ago
>How does whatsapp is cheaper than facetime? Whatsapp ,Skype, Telegram, Google Duo, etc apps work fine on Android phones which are lots less expensive than Apple Devices that are needed for Facetime
- sgt 5y ago
  Trust me, you don't want to put family on Android. My mother started out with Android (to save money), and she never even fully understood how the bottom buttons worked. I became the customer care. Now she's on iPhone and there's no support burden. Phew.
  - benhurmarcel 5y ago
    You don’t usually get to choose what devices people buy. All my family is on Android simply because they’re not interested enough in tech to spend triple the price on an Apple device, and there’s nothing I can say to make them spend that much.
    - sgt 5y ago
      Fair enough, but often family members will go to you for advice. So based on your advice, you'll also get the support calls :-)

sgt 5y ago

Definitely easier to use than any of the alternatives. An intuitive video calling system should do just that: video (and/or audio), not chat. Firstly; she has not heard of WhatsApp, it would have to be taught to her that it is a chat app that has additional functionality to allow phone and video calls. Blank stare. She does not chat and has no interest in doing that. The UI of WhatsApp is confusing and unintuitive if you assume you know nearly nothing except that you want to make a video call.

what_ever 5y ago
There is Google Duo that just does video calling. > Firstly; she has not heard of WhatsApp I am pretty sure she had not heard of FaceTime as well before you introduced it to her? :) Disc: Googler.
- sgt 5y ago
  Yeah, definitely some training is needed for that age group. It will be easier for you and me when we grow to be 100+ years old. She clicks on the green symbol that shows a video camera, maybe that helps to recognize. I am sure Google Duo would have an understandable icon as well, so you raise a good point.

lostlogin 5y ago

> Is there anything that sets FaceTime apart from cheaper competitors like WhatsApp Not signing up to anything Facebook is the first criteria in any service I want to use.

shuckles 5y ago

It integrates well with your mobile phone number as identity. Add a SIM to an iPhone and you can FaceTime it in the same way you’d call it.