FaceTime Versus iChat Video

By now, you're pretty familiar with FaceTime.

If not, FaceTime is a new video chat feature on the iPhone that uses the frontal VGA camera on the iPhone. Here's my question.

Does it work with iChat? If not, why not? Should Apple make it work with the iChat?

I can understand if Apple won't make it work with the iChat until the next OS X update but eventually Apple should.

It will really make the whole platform more compatible as well as signal Apple's support for the open source protocols used to make iPhone video chat possible.

I suppose it is possible Apple may update iChat before the next OS update. However, given Apple's past update behavior, it isn't likely. Plus, by bundling FaceTime compatible iChat with the next OS, people will be forced to upgrade en mass.

Right now, I also want to know if it's possible for non-iPHone 4 users to install the FaceTime app as well. I know the other iOS devices have no frontal camera but at least the might be able to participate on the receiving end of the video chat. Then again, given Apple's behavior in this respect, it's not likely going to happen.

Apple is like to force everyone else to upgrade their iOS devices if they want to be a part of any video calls.

But hey, one can hope.

More at Apple - FaceTime.