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March 30, 2009

Report: Skype for iPhone App Confirmed


Though an official announcement isn’t expected until tomorrow, reports are emerging from a wireless trade show today that confirm rumors of an application for the iPhone from Skype, the e-Bay-owned Internet calling service.



 
According to a story by Jessica Dolcourt – an associate editor at CNET News, a tech news site owned by San Francisco-based CBS Interactive – the principal engineer for the app said Skype’s native VoIP client for the Apple Inc. device will be available Tuesday in the iTunes App Store.
 
“While most of the features aren’t too surprising – Skype does want to maintain some consistency across its mobile applications, after all – there are a few capabilities that are notably missing, and a few iPhone-only perks that are refreshing to see,” Dolcourt reports.
 
Specifically, the new app is more similar in terms of navigation to other iPhone apps than it does for the latest version of Skype for Windows, release 4.0, according to Dolcourt.
 
“For many who already prefer Apple’s (News - Alert) sleek interface archetype, that’s a triumph, but those who enjoy Skype’s branding may feel disappointed,” she reports.
 
Rumors of Skype’s move – one that TMC President Rich Tehrani (News - Alert) has been predicting for months – still haven’t been confirmed either by Luxembourg-based Skype or by Apple. A spokesperson for Skype said the company doesn’t comment on rumors. Apple did not return messages from TMCnet seeking comment.
 
Yet Skype COO Scott Durchslag in January said that an iPhone version of Skype would come eventually to the App Store.
 
“We have to make sure the call quality is there and the application works really well before we can announce the software for any device,” Durchslag said in an interview at that time. “But we will have something for the iPhone as soon as it’s perfect.”
 
Skype already offers a Windows Mobile version of its client, and many tech industry analysts believe that the company will have to continue focusing on mobile to continue growing.
 
And growing it is. As TMCnet reported, following an announcement that businesses using SIP-based IP-PBX (News - Alert) systems soon will be able to place calls with a new Skype service, a report emerged confirming Skype is fast becoming a platform of choice for international callers.
 
Officials at TeleGeography say that international traffic that uses Skype is soaring to new heights, with a 41 percent uptick in 2008, to a total of about 33 billion minutes.
 
TeleGeography analyst Stephan Beckert (News - Alert) called the increase “remarkable.”
 
Dolcourt reports that Skype’s screens are well organized and rely on the iPhone’s filtering ability – for example, to see who is online or to sort contacts by name. The app has a chatting feature, too.
 
Mainly, though, it’s the VoIP calling feature – free to other Skype users – that’s the app’s main attraction. The app also will offer cheap calling to landlines.
 
“Calls on Skype for iPhone work only if you’re in range of a WiFi (News - Alert) network, so your call quality will in part be at the mercy and strength of wireless networks nearby – calls will not work over the cell phone network on the iPhone (but chatting will),” Dolcourt reports.
 
“Assuming your connection is solid, you can dial a number or quickly call a contacts stored in your address book,” she says. “iPod Touch users will need earphones with an embedded mic to talk. During a call, you can mute the line, go on hold, or put the call on speakerphone. In the My Info window, you can follow a link to buy more SkypeOut credit online.”


Don’t forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.


Michael Dinan is a contributing editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To read more of Michael's articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Michael Dinan




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