Skype Brings VoiP Goodness to the iPhone – Finally!
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Ok folks, it’s officially official. The Skype iPhone app has just appeared a couple of hours ago at the iTunes Apps Store. It’s a free app, so I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t want to install it on your iPhone. If you own an iPhone and you use Skype’s web based version, the Skype iPhone app is basically the same thing only this time, you do your Skype-ing on your iPhone instead of doing it on your PC.But then again, that maybe a bit of an exaggeration. Because you can only make Skype-to-Skype calls if your iPhone through Wi-Fi. But you can login to your Skype account, update status or send/receive SMS text through 3G, GPRS or EDGE.
Specifically the Skype iPhone app lets you do the following:
- Make free Skype-to-Skype calls from any Wi-Fi zone to other Skype users
- Call landline or mobile phones at low rates from any WiFi zone.
- Send/receive instant messages to/from individuals or groups via 3G, Wi-Fi, GPRS or EDGE (whichever is available)
- Receive calls to a personal online number on Skype
- See when Skype contacts are online/available to IM or talk
The Skype iPhone app also displays your Skype Contacts’ photos when you view your Contacts list. It also allows you to update your own Skype profile picture using your iPhone’s camera to take new photos of yourself, or use an existing photo from your iPhone’s photo album.
I’ve just installed the application on my iPhone and tried calling a friend’s Skype number. Unfortunately I couldn’t hear him speak since he doesn’t have a mic installed on his PC. But he said that he can hear me pretty clearly.
What I noticed though when making Skype-to-Skype calls or perhaps even when calling landline or mobile numbers is that it takes a longer time to connect a call. The application routes the call first before connecting. This might make an impression that the application is not actually working.
But other than that, I would have to say that the Skype iPhone app is pretty much a robust and well developed application. And I could see Skype getting a usage boost from iPhone numbers who have been waiting to have this application on their iPhone.
If you want to test the app, feel free to add my Skype account -> aczafra
