It looks like the Skype client’s ability to make calls over 3G may have to wait until Apple releases iPhone OS 3.2.
The LA Times is reporting on a conversation with an Apple spokesperson who confirmed the recent VOIP over 3G developments in the new iPhone OS 3.2 beta SDK licensing agreement.
“We revised our Program License Agreement in conjunction with our updated Software Development Kit for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad Apps,” wrote an Apple spokesperson. “Included in this update is the ability for developers to create VoIP apps that utilize cellular networks.” -LA Times
The reason why Skype has not yet updated their client to allow this functionality is because their current app and current iPhone users are still under the licensing terms of the 3.1.2 version of the iPhone OS. This version, which is currently running on most devices, forbids the use of VOIP applications over 3G, instead restricting them to WiFi-only. Skype spokesperson Chaim Haas has said that Skype is waiting on Apple for clarification of this issue. “As soon as we have that clarification, Skype will submit its application for approval.”
What this likely means however is that we will have to wait until iPhone OS 3.2 is released so as to not be bound by the restrictions of version 3.1.2.
It seems as though the integration of gizmo5 into Google Voice is steadily progressing, taking one more step last week. The gizmo5.com domain was transferred to google on 18 January 2010, and now gizmo5.com redirects to google.com/gizmo5.
Gizmo5 was a VOIP company which provided both software and a service which allowed users to make VOIP calls. Similar to the popular skype-in/skype-out service offered by Skype, gizmo5 allowed users to register a phone number to attach to their gizmo5 software or device for the purposes of receiving calls, and allowed users to use the service to make cheap calls out to regular phone numbers.
Back in November of 2009, google acquired gizmo5, adding the missing piece to google’s telecommunications services.
It looks as though google’s intentions are to incorporate gizmo5’s VOIP capabilities with google voice’s services to provide a full VOIP service on its Android devices. This means one could have a fully functioning phone through google on only a data plan – no voice plan would be required. Furthermore, due to google voice’s cheap long distance rates, one could conceivably get unlimited talk and text in North America on just a data plan.
They are getting into the swing of things over at DAVE Wireless. The new entrant into the Canadian mobile market is about to announce it’s go-to-market brand at an event in Toronto on February 2nd.
DAVE has been pretty tight-lipped about its launch plans, except that they are targeting the consumer rather than the business market.
There seems to be a mad rush to enabling VOIP over 3G on the iPhone today. First, iCall announced VOIP over 3G, then Fring hopped on board, and everyone was waiting for Skype to join in. The discussion even hit slashdot, and people started testing it out.
Well, according to at least one slashdotter, Skype works over 3G without issue now too.
I just tried skype on my iPhone…went through on 3g with no problems
If nothing else, this at least means cheap long distance on the iPhone, and possibly quite a bit of free talk as well if the calls are skype-to-skype. Some reports are that VOIP over 3G is of spotty quality. Any users care to chime in?
edit: it seems the skype client still doesn’t work, but you can use Fring to call out over 3G using skype-out
Well folks, a day we have all been waiting a long time for has finally come. The new version of the iPhone SDK released today for use with the iPad has removed the longstanding restriction preventing VOIP traffic over 3G. This means you can talk over your data plan for very cheap and not use your expensive voice minutes!
Engadget was alerted to the development by iCall, maker of an app which could take an incoming GSM call and flip it over to wifi/VOIP.
3G Skype coming to the iPhone?
They added the following interesting comment:
Interestingly, iCall says its 3G-friendly VoIP app is available now, and is the first and only such app in the App Store — which seems like some pretty quick turnaround on everyone’s part, but apparently the 3G restriction wasn’t anything to do with the software itself, but instead a server-side block. We just tested this out and it totally works, and while we’ll be looking for more verification that the ban has indeed been lifted, it sounds like it’s time for some cheaply connected international parties in the streets.
Parties in the streets indeed. Can anyone else confirm this?
As noted previously, Skype has a 3G capable version of their app ready and waiting for this restriction to be lifted. Considering the quick turnaround on iCall’s part, it can’t be long before Skype and others follow suit.
Earlier, I wrote a reaction piece to Apple’s announcement of the iPad. My reaction seemed to parallel many of the opinions out there: It does a few new things in kind of cool ways, but it’s not the revolutionary gizmo Steve Jobs made it out to be.
With this article I’d like to add more of a Canadian reaction to the iPad from the point of view of the mobile communications industry.
Yes, the iPad 3G is coming to Canada, reportedly in June. Expect a slight USD -> CAD markup on the device and more expensive data rates. Also, the iPad won’t be coming to all Canadian carriers.
Today, Apple officially announced it’s new device – the iPad. The hands-on reviews have yet to come in, but will undoubtedly be on any number of sites soon.
What does the iPad mean to Canadian consumers, what is it good for, and what are the communication implications? This article will be divided into two parts: First, a commentary on the iPad itself – my own personal reaction. Second, I will analyze its position in the Canadian wireless industry. (Updated: Wireless commentary here)
Probably tired of waiting around for Apple to decide whether it will ever approve a Google Voice app for the iPhone, Google decided to do a bit of an end-around on the app store by releasing a very nice html5 web app which will work on the iPhone and the Palm Pre/Pixi.
Looks like a dialer
The app is now live and is available at http://m.google.com/voice. Google previously had a web-based interface for google voice which worked, but was not quite as intuitive. This html5 version brings almost all of the functionality of a native app on the iPhone.
And there’s nothing Apple can really do about it.
The buttons in the web app all respond as one would expect in a native app. Dialing is quick and intuitive with little to no delay.
Navigation between screens is simple when using the nav bar at the top and allows you to switch between your voicemail/sms inbox, the dialer, the sms writing page, google contacts, and settings.
To qualify the italic “almost” above, it should be mentioned that the difference lies in how you manage and access your contacts.
On the iPhone, the phone dialer has direct access to your phone’s contact list. The web app does not have such access, but it does have access to your google contacts. Getting a seamless integration of your iPhone’s contacts with google voice requires the extra step of syncing your iPhone contact list with google. As can be seen from the screenshots, I have not yet done this.
Bravo to google for giving us a usable google voice interface on the iPhone.
digitaldaily is carrying a story where they surmise a Zunephone could be released by Microsoft within the next 2 months.
Going waaaay back to April of 2009, rumours were abound about a project Pink within Microsoft, which was code for “Zune phone”. It was to be a mobile device, similar to the Zune, which ran Windows Mobile 7. There was talk about cameras, 720p, and a host of services. None of it materialized as it seems Pink was shelved.
Recently, Jeffries & Company Analyst Katherine Egbert had the following to say:
“Our recent industry checks indicate Microsoft will be debuting its own phone sometime in the next two months. We expect the new phone to debut soon, at either the Feb 15-18 Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona Spain, or possibly at CTIA in Las Vegas one month later.”
Included in the linked article is a quote from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, outlining intentions to develop a mobile platform. Most interesting is the following bit: Read the rest of this entry »
