Apple today released a public beta version of iChat AV 2.1, an update to its instant messaging application that adds support for video conferencing with those using AOL Instant Messenger 5.5 for Windows (also released today). “With the introduction of iChat AV in Mac OS X Panther and the iSight camera, Apple revolutionized the way people communicate with each other over the Internet,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Now iChat AV users can video conference with their AOL buddies around the world who use PCs.” More than 35 million active users per month send on average 1.5 billion messages a day over AOL’s messenger service.
