Originally posted by theed
Also, I've been predicting a video chat client from Apple for a couple of years now. They have QT, they have a real time operating system, they have the videoconferencing codecs installed by default and the ability to compress low bandwidth movies in real time with processor to spare.
AOL isn't allowed to make a video chat client due to a government regulation to keep them from being a monopoly in chat clients. Quite frankly, I don't understand that one, why can't AOL have a monopoly on chat clients? It's the one oseful thing they've actually brought to the internet...
Anyway, Apple can leverage AOL's userbase, and I'm sure AOL gets cash for this arrangement; and Apple isn't limited with any weird monopoly laws about not making a video chat client. I was surprised not to see something last summer when 10.2 was shown. I'll be truly disappointed if it doesn't show up again.
AOL is not allowed to have video e-mail because of the merger of AOL and Time Warner. I believe the federal government didn't want one of the world's largest media companies instant and exclusive access to millions of AIM customers. I'm not exactly sure of the details, but I think Microsoft pushed for this...