Skype sets sights on popping iPhone and BlackBerry cherry

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 30 March 2009 19:52

Business IT - Technology

One of the world’s most popular Internet phone services, Skype, is finally set to make its mark in an official capacity on the other two most important phone platforms it hasn’t yet supported: the iPhone and the BlackBerry, with iPhone action starting on Tuesday, and the BlackBerry cherry popping in May.

It’s been a long time coming for iPhone and BlackBerry users, but an official Skype app is officially on the way at last.

Yes, third party apps have allowed iPhone users to contact Skype users on their desktops or phones, but without the integration, sophistication, and efficiency that a native Skype app can provide.

The news comes to us from a tip over at GigaOm and via official confirmation in a Reuters report, with the iPhone app to go live on the iTunes/iPhone app store from Tuesday (US time), and in May for the BlackBerry.

Second-generation iPod Touch users who buy the Apple microphone/headset combination will also be able to make and receive free Skype calls, while both the iPhone and iPod Touch will also be able to make cheap SkypeOut calls to landline and mobile numbers worldwide.

The biggest catch is that the Skype app will only work via Wi-Fi networks, and not the 3G cellular data network, thus limiting Skype’s voice call usefulness only to periods where the user is in range of a Wi-Fi network they can connect to.

On the plus side, iPhone users will be at least able to send and receive Skype text messages over the 3G data network, but it’s definitely not the same as being able to make voice calls as well, something that is possible with Skype on Windows Mobile and Symbian (mostly Nokia) handsets without issues. 

Other shortcomings are a lack of Skype video call capabilities, along with the ability to initiate a conference call among multiple parties through the iPhone app, although iPhone Skype users can join a conference call initiated by someone from their desktop Skype app.

It’s hoped these deficiencies will be fixed in future versions of the Skype iPhone app.

Additional details on what the BlackBerry iPhone app will and won’t be capable of, compared with the Skype 4.0 for Windows application, aren’t yet known.

So what else has been happening in the Skype universe? Please read on to page 2!