Skype App coming to iPhone on Tuesday, Blackberry in May
It's legit; Skype is coming to the iPhone on Tuesday, BlackBerry devices in May. While we've seen plenty of Skype-capable apps on the iPhone, the poor, often echo-infected calls should be easily bested by the official Skype App that doesn't need the extra audio transcoding workaround required by the existing crop of unofficial apps. The Skype app works over WiFi only (not over EDGE or 3G data) and supports calls to SkypeOut contacts in addition to many of the other features you've used from the desktop client. iPod touch owners will require earphones with an embedded mic to talk. CNET has a hands-on preview of the App just as long as you can muster the energy required to hit the read link below.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]























No - I'm waiting for the next version and proper GPS navigation. Unfortunately the damned things, much like cell phones in general, cost a fortune in Belgium since they are unlocked.
Great!....cant wait till tomorrow...i can stop using my linksys skype phone and just use this around my house.
Sorry. It's the iPhone. Unless you only make outgoing calls, you'll have to keep a) the phone ON and b) Skype active for this to replace your skype phone. Until and unless Apple enables background processing, this will be worthless for anyone that actually uses Skype as more than a novelty.
*back in 2003*
OH DEAR GOD! SKYPE!! PWNAGE!!!!1111oneeleven
*today*
o_O
yo dawg!
Well what about this deal I have for skype 25.00 a year to make skype out phone calls on my Mac. Will this feature be on the app. I know that it's not on fring, You have to buy minutes. I hope this is included
Wouldn't the Blackberry version mentioned in the article pretty much require 3G to work? As far as I know, the Storm and most of the other current gen Blackberry phones don't even have WiFi as an option. Why are they crippling the iPhone version of this? Sometimes the app policies on the iPhone make me sad :(.
I am pretty sure that this is going to push me over the fence towards the Storm when I need to buy a new phone next month. I'll be living in Canada for over a year, but still calling all of my friends and family in the US frequently, so free international calling from Skype is the dealbreaker for me.
all t-mobile blackberries have Wifi enabled, far as I know.
Great, we get something everyone else has had for years, oh and unlike theirs, this DOESN'T work on the move? Gee, that's really handy for a call app.
I don't use Skype, so forgive my ignorance, but what is the big deal about not being able to use it over 3G? If I were going to use Skype on my iPhone, I imagine that I would want to use ith with an open WiFi hotspot when roaming to avoid roaming/long distance fees. Is that not the point?
No you don't pay roaming/long distance fees with Skype, it comes out of your data allowance (in the case of the iPhone on ATT that is unlimited). The reason they are probably banning it is that Skype via 3G allows you to circumvent making calls over your mobile network. You could make local or international calls and ATT (or your local mobile company) won't get anything for it because it's all covered by your data allowance.
I'm no expert on this sort of thing but I presume Apple had to impose these sorts of restrictions in their SDK to make up for the fact that they don't allow any branding or crapware installation on the iPhone.
Skype on the iPhone is almost totally useless without the ability to run more than one app at once.. How would anyone call me unless I happened to be running the app?
Your only option is jailbreak on backgrounder...
Push Notifications would be good enough to enable you to know when someone was calling and to answer the phone but you wouldn't be able to do anything else whilst the call was in progress. In this respect I agree that running in the background would be more useful but I still side with Apple that allowing all applications to do this is a bad idea. Perhaps this is a special case.
We don't yet know how 'real time' the push notification system will be. Unless it's an instant notification it'd be of no use for this sort of thing. Don't forget, if a call comes in while you're on a skype call the app will get killed and the connection dropped.
Could be an interesting app for my Ipod Touch.
What about the G1/G2? Open source is lovely, folks. Also, haven't heard from the Palm Pre lately...
Can you remain signed-in in skype if you move to other application?
No
I guess it's just me, but I fail to see the point of this app. I already have phone functions built into my iPhone. It works in places I don't have wifi, I can receive calls while I'm running another app and I already have more minutes than I can use in a month so I never pay anything extra to make all the calls I want. Aside from the possible use of Skype-to-Skype international calls, what possible benefit would this have over just using the iPhone as an actual phone?
Honestly, unless you make/receive international calls then I don't think there is much benefit to Skype. Making international calls that cost peanuts is an obvious benefit. Additionally, you can "buy" a number in a country where people who want to call you live and then they can call a local number in order to call you internationally, where ever you may be. My wife and I used it for years but now we have gone back to a "normal" service since our local cable company provides a "free EU calls" service and the call quality of Skype can be quite iffy at times. However, for day-to-day calls I think you're probably best sticking with the call plan that came with the iPhone unless you are exceeding your limits.
Why is the top bar in the screenshot a darker hue than the spash background and icon? Its evident from the 'bells and whistles' extra in the google app that you can have it any colour you want. It's the little things that give an iPhone app its character.
I'm sorry, I may not be all about the "cool" devices ... I don't need 30K of apps, I still cannot see the advantage in delaying Skype for the iPhone here.
"The iPhone already has more apps than Windows Mobile." "Yeah but they all suck, more apps doesn't mean better apps." "I agree, that's been my argument with OS X." "Uh....what do you mean?"
can i use a Nokia wired headset (WH-700) with the Ipod Touch 2nd gen? has anyone tried this?
i am referring to using the microphone also.