When Apple released the iPhone 4, they also debuted FaceTime: an easy way to video chat phone to phone (assuming both users have iPhone 4s, that is). Shortly after the iPhone’s release, the iPod Touch was updated with “FaceTime cameras” and Apple offered Snow Leopard users the ability to download the beta version of a new “FaceTime app.” With the app, iPhone 4 and iPod Touch users could now video chat with desktop users too.

In the midst of Apple’s new MacBook upgrades, they also added upgraded the FaceTime app from beta status and dropped it into the Mac App Store for $0.99US.

The app requires 10.6.6+ and a broadband connection. iPhone and iPod Touch users also need a broadband connection and iOS 4.1+.

FaceTime is a great concept, especially when chatting with mobile users, but it still strikes me as an odd rival to the already feature-rich iChat app built into every Mac. I’m still struggling to understand why Apple hasn’t combined the two. iChat is a wonderful AIM/Google Talk/etc instant messaging client and it makes video chatting (with other iChat users) impressively simple. Furthermore, the program does a great job of allowing group chats, audio chats, file transferring and screen sharing.

My guess is that when OS X.7 (Lion) debuts this summer, Apple will officially combine the two. After all, if you look to screenshots of the developer release (made available today), you’ll notice that iChat is no longer the default app in the dock, but FaceTime is.

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