One feature debuting on the iPhone 4 was a forward-facing ‘selfie’ camera, yet Apple’s presentation did not focus on taking portraits. Instead, it focused on a simple one-click solution for video calling.

This is Day 11 of 30 Days of iPhone, a look at the moments that shaped the smartphone era .

Launching The iPhone 4’s Limited Video Calling

Apple took a conservative approach with two key limitations at launch: limiting video calls to Wi-Fi connections rather than the limited bandwidth of 3G cellular networks, and allowing only Apple’s own hardware to use the system. Apple cited 19 million FaceTime Ready iPhones and iPod Touches had been sold when FaceTime was introduced to macOS four months after its debut.

Alongside the announcement of FaceTime, Steve Jobs also announced that Apple would offer the system as an Open Standard that would allow interoperability to anyone able to meet the standard; “And we’re going to take it all the way. We’re going to the standards bodies, starting tomorrow, and we’re going to make FaceTime an open industry standard.”

FaceTime Stayed Locked Behind Apple’s iPhone Hardware

This never happened. Perhaps it was impossible because of patent disputes ; perhaps Steve Jobs stated the goal without telling the team? Or perhaps on closer inspection there was too much proprietary code and releasing it offered no commercial advantage? Whatever the reason, FaceTime became one of many digital moats around Apple’s ecosystem.

If you wanted to talk to friends or family on FaceTime, they needed to buy an iPhone. Peer pressure around FaceTime could help sell the latest iPhone, and the momentum of staying with your friend group on your phone would keep you firmly inside Apple’s world, without the escape route of an open standard.

This is Day 11 of 30 Days of iPhone. Yesterday we looked at how Apple amplified the mistakes of Antennagate .