IChat
Encyclopedia
iChat is an instant messaging
software application developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its Mac OS X
operating system
. It has audio, video and screen-sharing capabilities as well as text messaging. It uses a XMPP
-like protocol, Bonjour, for user discovery, and it also allows for LAN
communication.
iChat's AIM support is fully endorsed by AOL, and uses their official implementation of the AIM OSCAR protocol
. Using a XMPP transport, iChat can serve as a client
for AOL Instant Messenger
, Yahoo! Messenger
, MobileMe
, ICQ
and XMPP
. iChat can also integrate Windows Live Messenger
and Google Talk
contacts into the XMPP pane.
iChat incorporates Apple's Aqua
interface and uses speech bubbles and pictures to personify the online chatting experience. With iChat, green (available), yellow (idle), and red (away) icons can be displayed next to the name of each connected user on the buddy list. For color-blind users, this can be altered to show different shapes to illustrate status rather than color.
. It featured integration with the Address Book and Mail applications and was the first officially-supported AIM client that was native to Mac OS X (the first-party AIM application at the time was still running in Classic emulation).
and audio conferencing capabilities based on the industry-standard Session Initiation Protocol
(SIP). The final version of the software was shipped with Mac OS X v10.3
and became available separately on the same day for Mac OS X v10.2
for $
29.95.
introduced AOL Instant Messenger
(AIM) version 5.5 for Windows users, which enabled video, but not audio, chats over the AIM protocol and was compatible with Apple's iChat AV. On the same day, Apple released a public beta of iChat AV 2.1 to allow Mac OS X users to video conferencing with AIM 5.5 users.
announced that the next version of iChat AV would be included with Mac OS X v10.4
. iChat AV 3 added additional support to allow up to four people in a single video conference and ten people in an audio conference. Additionally, the new version of iChat used the H.264/AVC
codec, which offers superior quality video compared to the older H.263
codec used in previous versions. This release supports the XMPP
protocol, which can be directly used to connect to Google Talk
and indirectly be used to connect to users of services including Windows Live Messenger
, Facebook Chat, and Yahoo! Messenger
. However, support is limited as it does not support several common XMPP features such as account creation, service discovery
and full multi-user chat support. iChat 3 also includes the Bonjour
protocol, previously Rendezvous, which allows iChat to automatically find other users with iChat Bonjour messaging enabled on the users local network.
In October 2005, iChat received support for encrypted communications, but only for paid subscribers to Apple's MobileMe
(then known as .Mac) service. These features are part of iChat 3.1, released as part of the Mac OS X v10.4.3 update. This version also added support for XMPP multi-user chat.
In March 2007, Apple released the Mac OS X v10.4.9 update, which allowed USB video device class
(UVC) cameras to be used with iChat, rather than just FireWire-compliant cameras. This allows a much wider range of cameras to be used with iChat AV.
and received new features including: iChat Theater, Backdrops, and Screen Sharing
. iChat Theater allows users to share any file that is supported by Quick Look
, including photos, Keynote presentations, and movies over a video chat session. "Backdrops" allow users to insert movies or photos as a backdrop in video chats. Screen Sharing allows two users of Mac OS X Leopard to have control of the same desktop and work collaboratively. Minor features in the new release include multiple logins, animated icons, use of Photo Booth
effects in live video chat, and tabbed chats.
, reduced the bandwidth required for 640×480 video chats and upgraded iChat Theater to the same resolution.
, adds support for Yahoo Messenger account and allow iChat users to have text, voice and video chats using their Yahoo Mail account. It also supports third party plugins, eventually allowing other protocols to be compatible with the software.
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
software application developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
. It has audio, video and screen-sharing capabilities as well as text messaging. It uses a XMPP
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol is an open-standard communications protocol for message-oriented middleware based on XML . The protocol was originally named Jabber, and was developed by the Jabber open-source community in 1999 for near-real-time, extensible instant messaging , presence...
-like protocol, Bonjour, for user discovery, and it also allows for LAN
Län
Län and lääni refer to the administrative divisions used in Sweden and previously in Finland. The provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010....
communication.
iChat's AIM support is fully endorsed by AOL, and uses their official implementation of the AIM OSCAR protocol
OSCAR protocol
OSCAR or Open System for CommunicAtion in Realtime is AOL's flagship instant messaging and presence information protocol. Currently, OSCAR is in use for AOL's two main instant messaging systems: ICQ and AIM....
. Using a XMPP transport, iChat can serve as a client
Client (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
for AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger is an instant messaging and presence computer program which uses the proprietary OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol to allow registered users to communicate in real time. It was released by AOL in May 1997...
, Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger is an advertisement-supported instant messaging client and associated protocol provided by Yahoo!...
, MobileMe
MobileMe
MobileMe was a subscription-based collection of online services and software offered by Apple Inc. Originally launched on January 5, 2000, as iTools, a free collection of Internet-based services for users of Mac OS 9, Apple relaunched it as .Mac on July 17, 2002, when it became a paid subscription...
, ICQ
ICQ
ICQ is an instant messaging computer program, which was first developed and popularized by the Israeli company Mirabilis, then bought by America Online, and since April 2010 owned by Mail.ru Group. The name ICQ is a homophone for the phrase "I seek you"...
and XMPP
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol is an open-standard communications protocol for message-oriented middleware based on XML . The protocol was originally named Jabber, and was developed by the Jabber open-source community in 1999 for near-real-time, extensible instant messaging , presence...
. iChat can also integrate Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
and Google Talk
Google Talk
Google Talk is a freeware voice over Internet protocol client application offered by Google Inc. The first beta version of the program was released on August 24, 2005...
contacts into the XMPP pane.
iChat incorporates Apple's Aqua
Aqua (user interface)
Aqua is the GUI and primary visual theme of Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X operating system. It is based around the theme of water, as its name suggests, with droplet-like elements and liberal use of translucency and reflection effects...
interface and uses speech bubbles and pictures to personify the online chatting experience. With iChat, green (available), yellow (idle), and red (away) icons can be displayed next to the name of each connected user on the buddy list. For color-blind users, this can be altered to show different shapes to illustrate status rather than color.
History
iChat was first released in August 2002 with the introduction of Mac OS X v10.2Mac OS X v10.2
Mac OS X version 10.2 "Jaguar" is the third major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system. It superseded Mac OS X v10.1 code name Puma and preceded Mac OS X Panther...
. It featured integration with the Address Book and Mail applications and was the first officially-supported AIM client that was native to Mac OS X (the first-party AIM application at the time was still running in Classic emulation).
iChat AV
In June 2003, Apple announced iChat AV, the second major version of iChat. It added videoVideoconferencing
Videoconferencing is the conduct of a videoconference by a set of telecommunication technologies which allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously...
and audio conferencing capabilities based on the industry-standard Session Initiation Protocol
Session Initiation Protocol
The Session Initiation Protocol is an IETF-defined signaling protocol widely used for controlling communication sessions such as voice and video calls over Internet Protocol . The protocol can be used for creating, modifying and terminating two-party or multiparty sessions...
(SIP). The final version of the software was shipped with Mac OS X v10.3
Mac OS X v10.3
Mac OS X Panther is the fourth major release of Mac OS X, Apple’s desktop and server operating system. It followed Mac OS X v10.2 "Jaguar" and preceded Mac OS X Tiger...
and became available separately on the same day for Mac OS X v10.2
Mac OS X v10.2
Mac OS X version 10.2 "Jaguar" is the third major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system. It superseded Mac OS X v10.1 code name Puma and preceded Mac OS X Panther...
for $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
29.95.
iChat AV 2
In February 2004, AOLAOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
introduced AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger is an instant messaging and presence computer program which uses the proprietary OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol to allow registered users to communicate in real time. It was released by AOL in May 1997...
(AIM) version 5.5 for Windows users, which enabled video, but not audio, chats over the AIM protocol and was compatible with Apple's iChat AV. On the same day, Apple released a public beta of iChat AV 2.1 to allow Mac OS X users to video conferencing with AIM 5.5 users.
iChat AV 3
In June 2004, Steve JobsSteve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
announced that the next version of iChat AV would be included with Mac OS X v10.4
Mac OS X v10.4
Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger is the fifth major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers. Tiger was released to the public on 29 April 2005 for US$129.95 as the successor to Mac OS X Panther , which had been released 18 months earlier...
. iChat AV 3 added additional support to allow up to four people in a single video conference and ten people in an audio conference. Additionally, the new version of iChat used the H.264/AVC
H.264/MPEG-4 AVC
H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 or AVC is a standard for video compression, and is currently one of the most commonly used formats for the recording, compression, and distribution of high definition video...
codec, which offers superior quality video compared to the older H.263
H.263
H.263 is a video compression standard originally designed as a low-bitrate compressed format for videoconferencing. It was developed by the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group in a project ending in 1995/1996 as one member of the H.26x family of video coding standards in the domain of the ITU-T.H.263...
codec used in previous versions. This release supports the XMPP
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol is an open-standard communications protocol for message-oriented middleware based on XML . The protocol was originally named Jabber, and was developed by the Jabber open-source community in 1999 for near-real-time, extensible instant messaging , presence...
protocol, which can be directly used to connect to Google Talk
Google Talk
Google Talk is a freeware voice over Internet protocol client application offered by Google Inc. The first beta version of the program was released on August 24, 2005...
and indirectly be used to connect to users of services including Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
, Facebook Chat, and Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger is an advertisement-supported instant messaging client and associated protocol provided by Yahoo!...
. However, support is limited as it does not support several common XMPP features such as account creation, service discovery
Service discovery
Service discovery protocols are network protocols which allow automatic detection of devices and services offered by these devices on a computer network....
and full multi-user chat support. iChat 3 also includes the Bonjour
Bonjour (software)
In computing, Bonjour is Apple Inc.'s trade name for its implementation of Zeroconf, a group of technologies that includes service discovery, address assignment, and name resolution...
protocol, previously Rendezvous, which allows iChat to automatically find other users with iChat Bonjour messaging enabled on the users local network.
In October 2005, iChat received support for encrypted communications, but only for paid subscribers to Apple's MobileMe
MobileMe
MobileMe was a subscription-based collection of online services and software offered by Apple Inc. Originally launched on January 5, 2000, as iTools, a free collection of Internet-based services for users of Mac OS 9, Apple relaunched it as .Mac on July 17, 2002, when it became a paid subscription...
(then known as .Mac) service. These features are part of iChat 3.1, released as part of the Mac OS X v10.4.3 update. This version also added support for XMPP multi-user chat.
In March 2007, Apple released the Mac OS X v10.4.9 update, which allowed USB video device class
USB video device class
The USB video device class is a USB device class that describes devices capable of streaming video like webcams, digital camcorders, transcoders, analog video converters, television tuners, and still-image cameras....
(UVC) cameras to be used with iChat, rather than just FireWire-compliant cameras. This allows a much wider range of cameras to be used with iChat AV.
iChat 4
iChat 4 was introduced as a part of Mac OS X v10.5Mac OS X v10.5
Mac OS X Leopard is the sixth major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers. Leopard was released on 26 October 2007 as the successor of Tiger , and is available in two variants: a desktop version suitable for personal computers, and a...
and received new features including: iChat Theater, Backdrops, and Screen Sharing
Screen Sharing
Screen Sharing is a VNC client by Apple Inc. included as part of Mac OS X v10.5. It allows remote observance or control of any Macintosh machine on the local network that has Screen Sharing activated. It may also be used over the Internet via iChat...
. iChat Theater allows users to share any file that is supported by Quick Look
Quick Look
Quick Look is a quick preview feature developed by Apple which was introduced in their operating system, Mac OS X v10.5 "Leopard". It was announced and demonstrated at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference 2007.-Overview:...
, including photos, Keynote presentations, and movies over a video chat session. "Backdrops" allow users to insert movies or photos as a backdrop in video chats. Screen Sharing allows two users of Mac OS X Leopard to have control of the same desktop and work collaboratively. Minor features in the new release include multiple logins, animated icons, use of Photo Booth
Photo Booth
Photo Booth is a small software application for taking photos and videos with an iSight camera by Apple Inc. for Mac OS X and iOS .-Photo Booth:...
effects in live video chat, and tabbed chats.
iChat 5
iChat 5.0, released with Mac OS X v10.6Mac OS X v10.6
Mac OS X Snow Leopard is the seventh major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers.Snow Leopard was publicly unveiled on June 8, 2009 at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference...
, reduced the bandwidth required for 640×480 video chats and upgraded iChat Theater to the same resolution.
iChat 6
iChat 6.0, released with Mac OS X v10.7Mac OS X Lion
Mac OS X Lion is the eighth and current major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers....
, adds support for Yahoo Messenger account and allow iChat users to have text, voice and video chats using their Yahoo Mail account. It also supports third party plugins, eventually allowing other protocols to be compatible with the software.
See also
- Comparison of instant messaging clientsComparison of instant messaging clientsThe following tables compare general and technical information for a number of instant messaging clients. Please see the individual products' articles for further information. This article is not all-inclusive or necessarily up-to-date...
- Comparison of instant messaging protocols
- FaceTimeFaceTimeFaceTime is a video calling software application and related protocol developed by Apple for supported mobile devices running the iOS, in addition to Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.6.6 and higher...
- Video conferencing