Skype arrives on iPhone

 

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By Stuart Turton and Reuters

Posted on 30 Mar 2009 at 08:23

Skype has confirmed that a version of its VoIP client will be available to iPhone users through the iTunes apps store on Tuesday.

Skype offers free calls between Skype users, but charges for calls made to other numbers.

The iPhone version of Skype will allow customers to use their existing iPhone address book, rather than requiring them to duplicate. It will also allow customers to take a picture of themselves to use as their avatar.

A few features have gone missing along the way, however. There's no SMS and no ability to initiate a conference call, though you can join one initiated by somebody else. The iPhone version of Skype also can't handle a second incoming Skype call.

Also missing is video calling, though Skype chief operating officer Scott Durchslag says the company is considering its inclusion on later versions.

"We're considering video carefully but we have a really high bar on the quality," and how the user interaction will work with other applications on iPhone, he said. "If we do it we will have to do it incredibly well."

The service will also work on the latest generation of the iPod Touch, which has a microphone, Wi-Fi but no mobile connection.

The company has also confirmed that it will launch Skype for BlackBerry devices in May, completing the roster of smartphones the service will work on after similar Nokia and Windows Mobile announcements.