Engadget is reporting that Skype for iPhone is now officially available on the App Store in Japan just like we had reported last week.
It is expected that Skype will officially announce their iPhone app at CTIA Wireless, a large mobile industry trade event in Las Vegas that starts this Wednesday (1st April, 2009) as speculated by Om Malik of GigaOM Network.
Skype for iPhone will be officially available on the App Store on Tuesday (which is why it's already available on the App Store in Japan).
CNET got a chance to have a look at the iPhone app, so here are some of the details:
- Skype for iPhone will be available for free on the App Store.
- Skype's iPhone app looks more like iPhone's Phone app and not like Skype 4.0 for Windows. I think that's a good thing as it would make the app that much more intuitive.
- The user interface is well organized.
- It uses iPhone's ability to add filters; for example: to sort your contacts alphabetically, or by who's online.
- You will be able to make free VOiP calls to your Skype contacts.
- You will be able to chat with your Skype contacts.
- You will be able to make Skype calls to landlines and mobile phones using Skype credit.
- The iPhone app will work only over Wi-Fi which is obviously due to limitation of iPhone's SDK that's imposed by the carriers. However, you should be able to use iPhone hacks like VOiPover3G to make SkypeOut calls over a data network.
- You can take your photo from the iPhone's camera or use one from your iPhone's camera roll to use it as your Avatar.
- You will be able to receive calls to join a conference call, however you won't be able to make a conference call. (Skype's Engineer hopes this can be addressed in iPhone firmware 3.0).
- You won't be able to send SMS messages.
- You won't be able to purchase Skype credit directly from within the iPhone app. You can use Skype's auto recharge feature to workaround this feature. I doubt Skype will use the In-app Purchase feature that was introduced in iPhone firmware 3.0 as Apple takes 30% commission which would make VOiP very expensive for users.
- You won't be able to take a second call when you are already on a call.
Here are some of the screenshots of Skype's iPhone app (courtesy CNET):
Another problem with Skype's iPhone app is that you won't be able to run it in the background due to limitations of iPhone's SDK which is quite important to receive calls. I don't think the Push Notification Service introduced in iPhone firmware 3.0 will be a good workaround for Skype's iPhone app.
But I'm quite excited about Skype's iPhone app and if the call quality using their iPhone app is anywhere close to Skype 4.0 for Windows then I think they have a winner.
So what about iPhone apps from competitors such as Fring, Nimbuzz etc which allow you to make Skype calls. They were decent apps but they used a workaround to make Skype calls. Kurt Thywissen, the principal engineer for Skype for iPhone explains:
I agree which is why I have always been hoping that Skype releases their own iPhone app.
In case, Skype for iPhone is already available on the App Store in your country, please drop us a line in the comments section below.
Update 1:
metromepmb has just informed us the comments that Skype is available on the Australian App Store as well. Thanks metromepmb!
Update 2:
Jason has sent us an email to tell us its now available on the UK App Store. Thanks Jason!
You can check if it's available on the App Store in your country by using this direct iTunes link. Thanks metromepmb for the heads up!
Update 3:
Skype for iPhone is now available on most of the App Stores. Thanks folks for the heads up.
I tried it out but it out, the user interface is very simple and intuitive but seems to be quite buggy as it keeps crashing though the call quality appears to be good for the time, you can get it to work.
Kavian, one of our readers (thanks Kavian), pointed out that the crashing issues could be because of custom keyboard like Clippy installed on your jailbroken iPhone. It seems to have solved the problem for Thrawn.
However, in my case I had to remove Mobile Substrate (Launch Cydia-> Tap on Search -> Type Mobile Substrate in the search box -> Tap on Mobile Substratre -> Tap on the modify button and hit Remove and then Confirm) to stop Skype for iPhone from crashing on my jailbroken iPhone 3G. But its used by jailbreak apps such as Winterboard, Dock2, Clippy, Lockdown, Five Icon Dock etc so they might stop working. Let's hope Skype resolves the crashing issue soon.
Update 4:
Skype for iPhone: Tip to Fix Crashing Issue on Jailbroken iPhone; Make VOiP Calls over Data Network
As always, we would love to hear your thoughts about Skype for iPhone based on the details mentioned above.
Disclaimer: iPhone Hacks is an affiliate of Skype.
woo just downloaded it now as my itunes account is setup for australia so i dont have to supply any payment details
.
having a go now
the call quality is amazing! At least it was on the skype call test echo thingy. Fring sound quality is so bad it isn't usable.
App then crashed after the call *sigh*.
It is indeed a nice little app, however it's got to stop crashing on me
Anyway maybe I will keep it running with backgrounder.
Lol how do I edit my comments.
News is abounding that Skype is launching its application for Apple's iPhone tomorrow. This is great news; it promotes the ability to make free and cheap Wi-Fi calls using a VoIP client such as Skype, Truphone, Nimbuzz or Fring.
However, a key point missing from commentary so far is that Skype's application is limited to making calls when the iPhone is in Wi-Fi access.
On the other hand, Truphone — using its Truphone Anywhere service – enables users to make calls when not in Wi-Fi by routing the first leg of calls over local cellular networks (not data over 3G) and then taking the calls from there over Truphone's network, allowing consumers to make international calls at incredibly low rates while on the move and out of Wi-Fi.
The cost of the call will simply be a local call with a network operator (probably covered within contracted bundled minutes) and then the Truphone rate to the country being called. This applies to calls made using Truphone to other Truphone users, landlines and mobiles around the world, as well as Skype users for IM and calling.
While a welcome addition to the VoIP clients already available for the iPhone and iPod touch, Skype's service doesn't quite offer the options available to Truphone customers, who can use its Skype service AND other popular IM chat and calling communities, such as Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, Google Talk and AIM, as well as dial mobile and landline calls around the world, all within a single application.
fring much better sound quality is amazing you have a bad set up plus msn wi fi calls all free no one i know on skype either
Thanks for the early feedback, good to hear that the call quality is good. We can't wait to get our hands on the iPhone app.
Let's hope that Skype fixes the crashing issue soon.
Those are some very good and valid points about Truphone.
In fact, we have written about Truphone when they released an update which made it possible to make cheap International calls over GSM network without Wi-Fi:
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2008/12/iphone-truphone.html
We missed it in our article, but you're right, it's worth the mention.
We have also found that the quality of calls is good and quite a solid iPhone app.
However, our only complaint about Truphone is that it's a lot more expensive then Skype.
i just downloaded in usa hahah from itunes so its out
and it works on 3.0 perfectly
crashes on iphone 2g 2.2.1? anybody experiencing this?
crashes on my 3g 2.2.1 too
Skype app now in Northern US app store as of 11:36 CST
I just downlaoded Skype to my iphone 3G 2.2.1…. its crashed all the time, not even can login
Canada, here we come! Is out!
It sucks tho' It crashes every 5 minutes!
workarouns?
Crashing for me on 3G 2.2.1 … *sigh* Hit one letter on the keyboard to log in and it crashes – even after a restart.
in Germany it is available now too.
but i do not even get the Keyboard when i try to log in
Application crashes directly when i hit the screen
For all of u that the app is crashing
Probebly u have a jailbroken phone with custom keyboard on or clippy. Disable them and go to safe mode or uninstall mobile……. Idk what it is but it's mobile sub…… Then u gonna be ok
Thanks man
Clippy was the problem
Thanks for the tip!
I think its Mobile Substrate causing the problem as the crashing seems to have stopped after removing it.
But it's used by quite a few jailbreak apps so they won't work.
Let's hope Skype figures out a way to fix it soon.
Thanks for the tips guys. For me removing Mobile Substrate did the trick!
mobilesubstrate update available, set SBsettings toggle for clippy to off, skype now works
Not tested with clippy 'on' yet
Hope this helps
It's running just fine on mine with Clippy on after the Clippy & Mobile Substrate updates released this morning.
I updated mobile substrate and didnt install clippy but still crashed in the login page
any other solution?
if i try to phone someone from my iphone contacts through skype it says invalid number it also says i have to buy my number i more money
Here is explanation..
http://thebigboss.org/2009/03/30/new-skype-app-having-problems-on-jailbroken-phones/
so for now we cannot use it with VOiPover3g
Why would Skype make a fix to a "bug" that only affects illegally jailbroken phones? as far as they are concerned, the apps works perfectly. I'm jailbroken, btw.
I think you just have to add a +1 prefix to your numbers in order for it to work…
Skype works with VoIPover3G, but you need to install intelliscreen to make it work… and that doesn't play nice with Cyntact (the paid app from Saurik).
If you didn't buy Cyntact, install intelliscreen and switch on performance boosting. That worked for me, at least it did once I switched off Clippy. If you have problems use the performance boost options to disable all extensions and gradually reactivate them one by one until you find out what's causing your troubles.
Again, if you have installed Cyntact, then do not install intelliscreen. (Actually it's the performance booster in intelliscreen that hates Cyntact, the rest is fine, but if you have the boost on with Cyntact, every application on the iphone crashes. All of them. Every one. It's not easy to fix.)
The quality of call is good but the application crashes directly when I hit the screen
http://www.itboons.com/remotesupport.html#plans
not all that impressed with skype. i use on mac but what good over on iphone. video is hte main thing that makes skype cool. and i know how to use a phone already. i guess it helps some with certain comments but as an iphone app, i think it lacks alot of features.
http://www.phodder.com
i'm new to this so here i go
if a get an iphone with out the at&t plan
and add skype
will i be able to make phone calls to moble and land line with a skype account
and how do i get a phone without at&t
very new at this
sorry if you answered this already