iPhone VoIP: fring, Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, SIP,Twitter, Yahoo and AIM services

Thursday, August 28, 2008
iPhone VoIP Application and App store

Now, at least in the United Kingdom, there’s an application from VoIP
provider TruPhone that allows iPhone users to make VoIP calls over
WiFi, without soldering and coding.

It is still in beta, but the TruPhone has so far been successful. The
TruPhone software for iPhone is a native application, according to Tim
Donnelly Smith of TruPhone. Third-party application installers are
required.

“Just to be totally clear: the demonstration of TruPhone on the iPhone
doesn’t mean that it’s available to use yet,” said Smith. “It’s still
early days. Some people have reported that ‘TruPhone has launched …’
but, as the news release (I hope) makes clear, this isn’t the case
yet.”

TruPhone expects to release a simpler version in the near future. The
new application won’t require breaking the SIM lock, and will switch
from WiFi to SIM depending on availability of service.

The question remains: Will AT&T, and Apple, respond to freeing the
iPhone from AT&T’s network?

Apple might not mind as much as service provider AT&T will. Smith
doesn’t expect trouble from Steve Jobs and Co.

“This program doesn’t do anything that Steve Jobs says not to do,”
said Smith. “Apple is fairly neutral on third-party applications and
they won’t deliberately try to break them.”



Fring, an Israeli startup that has a great VOIP/Chat service for
mobile phones (see our February coverage), is launching an iPhone
version of the service sometime in the next 24 hours, we’ve heard.

This is not a browser-based chat app like FlickIM or Mundu. It should
be a fully functional downloadable version of the application that
allows users to access the fring, Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk,
ICQ, SIP, Twitter, Yahoo and AIM services.

That means they’ll be using the Jailbreak installer, which severely
limits the number of iPhone users who will download and use it.

But Fring may also be the first really killer application that can get
non-early adopter users to consider using Jailbreak. The ability to
make VOIP calls over the data plan in itself is probably worth it
(although it may only work over Wifi, not the Edge network).

This is most likely a test run in preparation for the official iPhone
app store that will launch this summer. It’s also a risky strategy -
some developers I’ve spoken with are avoiding Jailbreak because they
don’t want to anger Apple and have their official applications banned
down the road.

Fring is doing very well even without the iPhone. The service, which
is about a year old, gets 100,000 new active users per month. We’ll
update when Fring actually launches the application.



Enjoy VoIP with iPhone 3G,look for more app store

http://digg.com/business_finance/iPh..._and_App_store

At 28 Aug 2008 19:32:05 -0700 4phun wrote:
> Thursday, August 28, 2008
> iPhone VoIP Application and App store
>
> Now, at least in the United Kingdom, there’s an application from VoIP
> provider TruPhone that allows iPhone users to make VoIP calls over
> WiFi, without soldering and coding.
>
> It is still in beta, but the TruPhone has so far been successful. The
> TruPhone software for iPhone is a native application, according to Tim
> Donnelly Smith of TruPhone. Third-party application installers are
> required.
>
> “Just to be totally clear: the demonstration of TruPhone on the iPhone
> doesn’t mean that it’s available to use yet,” said Smith. “It’s still
> early days. Some people have reported that ‘TruPhone has launched …’
> but, as the news release (I hope) makes clear, this isn’t the case
> yet.”
>

"Still early days?" How many "early days" do they need?

From Sept. 26th, 2007:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/26/t...ip-for-iphone/

"One of the Holy Grails / Seven Wonders of the iPhone World has been loosed
upon the Earth today, namely: VoIP. According to a company called Truphone,
they have unlocked the secret of IP telephony on the iPhone, and
demonstrated said ability today at DEMOfall 07 in San Diego..."


> The question remains: Will AT&T, and Apple, respond to freeing the
> iPhone from AT&T’s network?


More than likely, no. Of AT&T's current phone line up, they already have a
good half-dozen phones that can do VoIP via Skype and/or Fring.


> Fring, an Israeli startup that has a great VOIP/Chat service for
> mobile phones (see our February coverage), is launching an iPhone
> version of the service sometime in the next 24 hours, we’ve heard.


When was this blog you've quoted FROM? This "news" is from APRIL! The
iPhone Fring beta's been out for months. (Not available for the 3G yet,
though, IIRC.)


> This is most likely a test run in preparation for the official iPhone
> app store that will launch this summer.


Probably not- Fring's unique hook in the VoIP world is that they use their
own codecs and servers to get decent VoIP performance of cellular networks,
even at GPRS speed. VoIP over cellular is an SDK/app store no-no.


> Enjoy VoIP with iPhone 3G,look for more app store
>
> http://digg.com/business_finance/iPh..._and_App_store


Slow iPhone news day forcing you to reprint classic stories from the past,
Vic? If you're takng requests, can we hear the one about the $200 price
drop again?

Todd Allcock <elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote in
news:g97v8r$td6$1@aioe.org:

>
> Slow iPhone news day forcing you to reprint classic stories from the
> past, Vic? If you're takng requests, can we hear the one about the
> $200 price drop again?
>
>
>

Fring's ok as far as it goes, but I miss my Skype file transfers and
other Skype functions too much.

I'm playing with Gizmo5 at the moment because it has a new version for
our Diablo (v4) operating system.

Too bad iphones will never see voip without tearing into the os and
voiding the warranty.