Bell launched a video phone too, back in the 60s. You can read about it in The Idea Factory, which is full of fascinating history. That book attributes the failure to people not wanting to be seen. I've worked with people who definitely didn't want to turn on their video on Zoom calls! :-/
My sense is that video became widespread when networks got good enough that it was effectively free if you were going to use the network for audio anyway. There were companies like PictureTel but I'm pretty sure both the equipment and operational costs weren't things that consumers were going to pay.
There may have been social resistance early-on as well but I'm sure grandma would have liked to see the new baby if the tech were cheap and easy--even if people then, as now, don't universally want to be on camera.
I worked for a telecommunications product company a while ago, and while all employees were given videophones (and there were conference videophones too), and actually used them quite frequently compared to IM, they were almost always used in audio mode only.
Besides not wanting to be seen, it takes far more attention to be looking at each other than it does to be talking while doing other things.
Yeah. I don't mind switching video on and do by default in a smaller meeting and certainly 1:1. But, if I'm multitasking I'll regularly switch the camera off if I can't/don't want to be front and center with the webcam and keylight.
It’s more comfortable not to be seen (you don’t have to look certain ways), but also I’m not about the idea that anyone can record me and use my image for whatever reason they want
When I’m compensated like a celebrity, Ill take on the risk. Till then, you don’t need to see my face to know what I’m saying
