August 23, 1956: The “Picture Phone,” an experimental product from Bell Labs, sent picture along with sound over telephone lines. The 2”x3” screen allowed individuals to see each other talking. They let the public experiment with this product much later at the 1964 New York World’s Fair – with eight picture phones letting visitors call neighboring booths. The technology was not widely adopted at the time due to cost and individuals not feeling it necessary to see the person they’re talking to.
Sources: The Bell System, Library of Congress, The Telephone Transformed, New York Times
Read more from the Goizueta Business Library collection:
The Idea Factory Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation
Three Degrees Above Zero : Bell Labs in the Information Age