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iCall Brings Seamless VoIP To IPhone Users

Posted by timothy on from the now-that's-tempting dept.

andrewmin writes "iCall, a company well known for offering free VoIP calling for Windows users, has just announced the first iPhone app that offers free phone calls over WiFi. It's also one of the first legal (in other words, non-jailbroken) VoIP apps. I don't have an iPhone, but if I did, you can be assured that I'd be on this in a second."

13 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. So...contracts? by kcbanner · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm surprised that the contract between Apple and AT&T doesn't cover other ways of using the iPhone to call people (ie off AT&T's network). I mean this is great, don't get me wrong, I just expected Apple to not allow these kinds of apps on the iPhone because of a contract issue with AT&T (given their current track record).

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    1. Re:So...contracts? by MindStalker · · Score: 4, Informative

      Nope, as mentioned on the site
      Apple has explicitly stated that VoIP is allowed, just not over Edge networks. Steve himself answered this question in the Q&A session after the last keynote speech.

      This is true, someone specifically asked if VoIP is allowed, they stated that as long as its not using AT&Ts network (Edge/ 3G soon) it would be fine.

  2. iHolding Out by Strange+Ranger · · Score: 3, Funny

    iWould love to make iCalls on my iPhone.
    Although iWaiting for iPhone 2's release.
    iDon't pay high sums for year-old tech.

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  3. Re:One small problem... by aarku · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Oh. Nevermind.

  4. Re:uhhh, no by drhamad · · Score: 4, Informative

    Apple has SPECIFICALLY stated that VOIP is just fine, as long as it's WiFi only.

    It makes sense: it reduces stress on AT&T's network, AND makes Apple's users happy.

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    -Daniel
  5. Re:incorrect by drhamad · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This type of application is SPECIFICALLY ALLOWED by Apple. VOIP is fine as long as it is WiFi only, they have said.

    If you really think about it, it makes sense. It reduces stress on AT&T's network while at the same time making Apple's users happy.

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    -Daniel
  6. Re:incorrect by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you really think about it, it makes sense. It reduces stress on AT&T's network while at the same time making Apple's users happy. It reduces AT&T's opportunity to collect fat revenues from people exceeding their allotted monthly time as well. I think that they would be against this. However they may not be in a position to actually disallow it, making it Apple's decision. They at least would have no reason to do so.
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  7. Re:incorrect by drhamad · · Score: 2, Informative

    AT&T has been making deals all over the place to speed up its network and reduce capacity requirements, for instance making a deal with Sbux to allow all iPhone users to use the AT&T nodes there for free.

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    -Daniel
  8. Re:incorrect by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 2, Informative

    That's data and not voice, though. All iPhone subscribers get unlimited data, so there's no extra money to be made there. They do have limited voice time, however, and I'm sure that just like any other cell phone provider, the rates they get for overage are quite lucrative.

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  9. Without background processes, VOIP not so much... by KH2002 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Since the iPhone SDK doesn't allow for [3rd party] background processes, how are you going to be notified of an incoming VOIP call? Answer: you're not, unless you already happen to be in the VOIP app. So it will be fine for outgoing calls, but pretty limited otherwise...

  10. What about iPod Touch users? by richardtallent · · Score: 3, Interesting

    IIRC, the iPod Touch doesn't have a microphone, but I wonder whether (a) headset mics are still accessible, and (b) if iCall will support them?

  11. First legal one? by josath · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What's this subtle wording here, implying that it's illegal to run non-apple approved applications on your iPhone? It really shows the sorry state of things these days, that people can believe there is anything wrong with running software on a device they own. I enjoy the many reverse engineers who perform their completely legal work in order to let me get more use out of a device that I paid for.

    If I want to run a freeware/open source drawing application on my Nintendo DS that lets me save PNG files on a SD card, should that be illegal since it's not approved by Nintendo? Should I be forced to buy their crappy paint-by-numbers 'game' that's not even for sale in the US?

    There are so many possibilities out there, that the hardware companies try to stop you from doing, because they are afraid of losing control. When in reality it doesn't stop piracy any, it only hurts the people who want to write their own code, and add new features. Take the Wii for example, it was possible to illegally pirate games for months before anyone hacked a way of running their own code. Well...I'm already quite offtopic, I better stop here.

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  12. Subtle as a brick. by StarKruzr · · Score: 3, Informative

    The implication is quite evident, and I wholly agree with you.

    If I want to run a freeware/open source drawing application on my Nintendo DS that lets me save PNG files on a SD card, should that be illegal since it's not approved by Nintendo?

    People honestly believe that corporations can write laws.

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