iOS 5 rumored to offer FaceTime in the Middle East

Readers in the UAE and other countries will be happy to know that FaceTime is working again on iPhones in the Middle East under the latest iOS 5 beta. As you may recall, when Apple introduced FaceTime in iOS 4, many carriers in the Middle East refused to allow FaceTime on their networks. Unsurprisingly, a hack soon emerged that allowed people to get FaceTime working on jailbroken iPhones. Now it appears that hack is no longer necessary.

Apple-wd.com [Google translation] has posted screenshots and a report that shows FaceTime is working on iPhones in Saudi Arabia from service providers STC and Mobily. However, as MacStories points out, there is no way of knowing if FaceTime functionality will remain in Middle Eastern countries once the final version of iOS 5 ships. It's entirely possible that local carriers could update their configuration files to block FaceTime access in the future. Only time will tell. In the mean time, if you have iOS 5 and are in the Middle East, enjoy FaceTime while you can.

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Source: http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=…

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When Apple introduced FaceTime ... many carriers in the Middle East refused to allow FaceTime

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ahmad

i so hope we get FaceTime officially here in the UAE

July 23 2011 at 2:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Saj

Yes it is Fasle info even though Singaporean Device does not register facetime.. people ! O ! people why you under stand facetime is disabled by Etisalat by blocking the incoming SMS from facetime servers, which is a kind of silent sms used for authenticating a no.

Etisalat is wise like a fox although it allows the SMS to go, so that we get International SMS charged but it will not allow it to receive ;) understand ....

June 12 2011 at 1:18 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Saj's comment

UA3

Only etisalat block facetime and other VOIP apps SMS activating, I have Italian device and I'm using du SIM card, Facetime and iMessage working without any problem.

June 12 2011 at 10:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

UA3

False information, it's still not working on UAE devices at all.

From the screenshots in Apple-wd.com it's clear that the device is an Singaporean device (model number ending with ZA) not Middle Eastern (ending with AE).

June 12 2011 at 12:19 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Nadav Ginosar

i don't know about the whole middle east, but it works like a charm in israel...

June 10 2011 at 3:35 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

beddoes

While I was working in Dubai both Facetime and Skype were blocked from working on my iPhone, even though I had one that i had bought from the UK :(

June 10 2011 at 3:21 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

mr100percent

Whenever this comes up, the comments begin to fill with people bashing Arabs and Muslims. Seems a lot of people assume that people over there are against showing faces. That's not true; the phone carriers over there are anti-VoIP including skype, since it cuts into their profits and some of the dictatorial governments want to be able to tap the conversations. Here's hoping iOS5 fixes this.

June 10 2011 at 1:13 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Naren Bharatwaj

I recently bought an iphone in Dubai and currently use it in India. Even though I got a factory unlocked one, I'm not able to use facetime. When I contacted apple customer care, they told me that since the phone was designated to be sold in the Middle East, there's no legal way of enabling facetime on it. I don't think the carriers have anything to do with this. Only way to check it out is to try iOS5 beta on my iphone.

Naren

June 10 2011 at 12:57 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

Christian T

I say it will be removed soon. Just like you were able to get AT&T tethering in earlier betas.

June 09 2011 at 11:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply