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New iPhone 4 ads highlight FaceTime, tug at the old heartstrings

by Steven Sande Jul 12th 2010 at 9:00AM

It's too early to say whether or not the phrase "There's an app for that" has been banished to the fabled Island of Forgotten Taglines, but if the latest series of iPhone ads is any indication, FaceTime is now the star -- not the apps.

Four new iPhone 4 ads have made their debut both on the air and online. In each ad, two people use FaceTime to discuss incredibly important news. In Meet Her, a grandfather meets his new granddaughter for the first time. Haircut features a pensive young woman who is worried that her significant other isn't going to like her new, really short haircut, and in Smile a dad tries to get his teenage daughter (newly fitted with braces on her teeth) to smile. Finally, Big News has a woman breaking the news to her hubby that the project they've been working on is successful -- they're going to be parents.

The ads are beautifully photographed, and they really show off the power that FaceTime has to let two people express their feelings with more than just their voices. In each ad, the power of facial expressions to display and transmit emotions definitely comes across.

Now, if Apple could just explain during the ads that FaceTime works over Wi-Fi and doesn't rely on the AT&T network, they'd probably have even more success with the iPhone 4 than they've already experienced.

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It's too early to say whether or not the phrase "There's an app for that" has been banished to the fabled Island of Forgotten Taglines,...
 

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FightTheFuture

wi-fi only jordan.

July 12 2010 at 11:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
freestufflisa2010

Lovely little ad, just a pity is really is a gimmick... hasn't taken off before now, I doubt it will now!

July 12 2010 at 6:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to freestufflisa2010's comment
Steven

It's about implementation. Look at the iPad and tablets.

July 13 2010 at 12:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
NOAH BERKOWITZ

What's with the AT&T branding at the end?
Is this a hint that FaceTime is gonna work over 3G.

July 12 2010 at 4:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ron

Are these the ones that were directed by Sam Mendes that we've been waiting for?

July 12 2010 at 3:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
frankic

I bet that everyone of these people in these commercials do not know how to put together a wifi network let alone use facetime with wi-fi. Stupid implementation of a product with promise. Apple always finds a way to screw up anything new they have to offer. They should be embarrassed.

July 12 2010 at 3:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
5 replies to frankic's comment
Alice

If i hold my hand like the guy in 'Haircut' I lose complete signal, it goes into No Service. LOL

July 12 2010 at 2:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Alice's comment
FightTheFuture

why? is he cupping the wi-fi antenna?

July 12 2010 at 11:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
redcard

It's funny how EVERY ONE of your comments seems to be a re-hash of comments I read a few weeks back.

I mean, you're a bit slow on the uptake.

July 12 2010 at 1:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MaryBethLowell

I saw a couple of these ads over the weekend and wasn't that impressed. I like the concept but IMHO they could have been done a bit better. They were pretty cheesy. I saw the pregnancy one and actually thought it was a spoof - I was expecting a joke ending. That might have been more entertaining. :) That's just my Monday morning quarterback-ing... :) Now back to my day job which is NOT advertising...

July 12 2010 at 12:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steven

They could, except FaceTime has nothing to do with AT&T's network, so it is unaffected.

July 12 2010 at 11:15 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ruegenmail

Commenters here go on about AT&T but overseas like in Australia we generally don't have the same problems countrywide, so AT&T aside - the advertisement works.

Discontent about AT&T should be directed at AT&T and not Apple.

July 12 2010 at 11:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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