iPhone gets video recording capabilities

Thanks to another set of ambitious iPhone hackers, we've officially got video on Apple's wonder-device (that somehow omitted video to begin with). It's not much right now, but if you want, you can see your phone recording five succulent seconds of real-deal video at around 15 FPS. The developers say this is just a proof of concept, and they've been able to get up to 45 FPS on the device -- so hopefully we can expect a more robust version soon (like, say, one that lets you save the recording). Check the video after the break to see the gorgeous work in action.

[Jah Posted Dec 13th 2007 5:54PM]

45fps at a lowish resolution is not that great

[Mark Larson Posted Dec 13th 2007 6:31PM]

Tell that to pretty much every cellphone manufacturer. Very few phones take decent video, most are restricted to QCIF 15fps video.

[CleverB Posted Dec 13th 2007 8:02PM]

FYI, most phones do QCIF resolution, which is 176x144. The iPhone uses the PMB8876 S-GOLD 2. Notice the H.263 video encoder on-board. Here are the stats.

* ARM926TM based single modem and application
processor with cache support and fast tightly-coupled memories
* Parallel/serial display interface supporting high
resolution colour displays
* Supporting camera applications of up to 2 MPixel
* MPEG4/H.263 encoder hardware (MOVE® coprocessor), support for
video streaming and video telephony
* Standardized multimedia extension interface (MMIC-IF), MMC/SD
interface, SD IO capable
* USB 2.0 on-the-go, full speed, fast IRDA
* Polyphonic Ringer support for up to 44 voices at up to
48 kHz sampling rate

In plain English? It can record high-resolution video & sound very efficiently. Most people have been twiddling their thumbs waiting for someone to do a proof. Most people thought it'd be Apple. Go figure.

[Macroy Posted Dec 13th 2007 6:01PM]

Did the "JOYSTIQ IS TOBIAS" meme carry on over to Engadget? Because I'd like somebody to use it here.

[Macroy Posted Dec 13th 2007 6:02PM]

Argh, that was supposed to be a reply to mrhammerstein Carry on.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 6:07PM]

Incredible ! Americans discover that a "ALl-in-One" mobile is able to record video ! What japanese and European know for years ! sad.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 7:35PM]

If they knew about it, why didnt they hack it together and work on it?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 6:08PM]

Wow with such feature I'm sure it will run for "Gadget of the Year" amongst competition that have GPS capabilities, more features and etc. I mean functionality and features are more important than the design. Which is why I think this Apple device won't catch much hype.... Oh wait... sorry... It's just... My common sense got in a way. Sorry

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 6:15PM]

However, above everything is usability and meeting needs. If a product or service does not conform to your needs, it is not for you, but it may be a fit for others.

P.S. - Design is a part of the functionality of any product.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 6:23PM]

Video, good job.
...but I think an iPod is still a nuisance for privacy.

iPhone a Trojan Horse For Government Surveillance?
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/july2007/200707iphonesurveillance.htm

FBI records audio from cell phone even when battery is out
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/december2006/071206batteries.htm

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 6:42PM]

The second clip seemed like there was a wobble in the video that was not produced by his hand movements.

Are we sure this is legit?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 6:55PM]

This is fake

the movements towards the end don't completely line up with the actual subject.If you pause the video at 00:26 you will see what I mean. Just look at the book shelf structure on the phone and try to line it up with the shelf its self.

[Joshua Topolsky Posted Dec 13th 2007 9:39PM]

Actually, the whole thing is a 3D model I created, my hand included. I rendered everything out on a farm of old SGIs -- it took around two months, but it was worth it to convince the world that the iPhone got a proof-of-concept video recorder that shot five seconds of un-saveable video. I can't believe you uncovered my scheme.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 9:55PM]

Nice! :)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 7:07PM]

Can somebody explain why I would want video capture in a cell phone? I mean, assume that I'm actually an adult here, and not some pimple faced teenage girl who enjoys capturing her scintillating conversations with her girlfriends and sending them to her 27 other girlfriends so they can shriek about how funny they all were the next day at school. Also assume that I have an actual camcorder so if I want to take a movie of something, I can.

I mean the only reasons I can think of is if I either see 1) Bigfoot, 2) the Loch Ness monster or 3) a midget bar fight and I absolutely must capture it in motion. And this isn't about the iPhone, I don't see a use for having video capture on any phone. I have a camcorder for that.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 8:38PM]

Boobies man... boobies.

You can't lug your HD beast around most of the time.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 8:49PM]

You must not have a young child that is constantly doing cute spontaneous things, things that her grandma that lives hundreds of miles away would love to see.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 8:54PM]

Well if you always have your camcorder on you, then no biggy (I never do, unless I plan on recording something). Does nothing spontaneous ever happen in your life that you just have to get a video of? Only reason I really ever use my phone camera.

Now it's not something that makes or breaks a phone for me, but it is a plus.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 8:55PM]

What Alex said too, half the time if you try to get out the camcorder/camera phone the kid has already stopped whatever they were doing that was a priceless moment.

[Mehul360yahoocom Posted Dec 13th 2007 7:40PM]

Stop wasting your time on 'useless' features like this. Instead, spend that time trying to come up with a solution to unlock the 1.1.2 firmware. I'm dying to unlock my phone!

[rav97 Posted Dec 13th 2007 9:07PM]

Important stuff still missing:
Voice dialing
Bluetooth A2DP/AVRCP profiles, to be able to play music through a wireless headset
Bluetooth DUN profile, to connect it to a laptop and use it as a wireless modem

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 9:15PM]

Just thought I'd throw in my own two-cents here..

My PDA's been able to record in MJPEG and H264 for over 2 years at 352x288 (and 640x480 using hacked drivers). The quality has been excellent, especially when I'm using higher bitrate options and no, I don't notice slow frame rates or sluggish playback on mine.

Now considering the iPhone, for all the huff and puff being thrown around about it, is considered "cutting edge", I think that it's perfectly reasonable for people to expect it to come with paltry video recording capabilities at least.

I agree with one of the above posters- Apple are holding out to make more iFans spend their iCash.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2007 9:38PM]

You said: "Apple are holding out to make more iFans spend their iCash."

Huh?! And, there's a gun being held to their head that forces them to?

Grow up, and learn to deal with the real world of consenting adults, man...........

[kobachi Posted Dec 14th 2007 2:23AM]

I get 300KBps pretty regularly on my UMTS phone on SoftBank in Japan.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2007 3:37AM]

Fortunately I'm not an iPhone lover :D

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2007 4:24AM]

I swear i love my iphone, but i think we need to send out a big fuck you letter to apple, i bought the phone knowingly there is no video recording, even a apple rep told me there in no way the phone will be ever to recoard video untill a second gen modle, so if a bunch of people with less knowledge about the device that apple build then selfs and have found a way to put video recording on it, FUCK YOU APPLE, seriously FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKEN M$ COAK SUCKING BASTARDS!!! you say your so not like Microsoft, but shit i dont even think good o billo would have thought of some slime like this. i swear im calling apple in the morning see what they have to say about this... and boy do i smell a new refund coming our way... this news needs to flood the web w/ iphone users being outraged over people that apple looks down on as noting but no good hackers basterdtazing the iphone who are truly putting more function to it, apple needs to set up to the plate or we all together maybe need to get together speak our voice about this not between us but directly to apple, Peace my fellow iphone brother and sisters, (w/ one fist up in the air for the movement)

[KaiCherry Posted Dec 14th 2007 5:57AM]

˙ʎppnq 'dn ɹǝqos

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2007 9:32AM]

I"m waiting for Video chat on all cell phones. What's the hold up?????? It's going to be 2008!