With New SDK, VoIP Over 3G Apps Now Working On iPhone

silverpig writes "Yesterday marked the announcement of the Apple iPad device, and with it came a new version of the SDK. In this new version, Apple has lifted the VoIP over 3G restrictions that limited VoIP traffic to wifi only. This morning, Fring announced that its iPhone app is 3G-capable starting immediately. No update is needed as apparently the app had 3G capability all along, but a server-side block prevented its use. Furthermore, apparently a 3G-capable version of Skype has been ready for some time now, and has been waiting for this restriction to be lifted."

Comments

Lifted until?

[Anonymous Coward]

Until Apple decides that they should be put back. Then anyone who thought VOIP was a good idea is SOL again. Vender lock-in for applications sucks. Apple should be shamed for trying to port this model to the iPad.

Re:Lifted until?

[jgagnon]

Don't blame the vendor, blame the users that support the lock-in by supporting the vendor. Without them the vendor would be forced to change or go out of business.

Re:Lifted until?

[jo_ham]

Wait!

So, first it's "Apple is evil, it;s so locked down! It sucks! They should open it!", and when they actually do open it up and enable new function that they had previously prevented (for whatever reason) it's "Apple is still evil! They will restrict it again!"

Which is it?

Do you want them to remove restrictions or not?

Re:Lifted until?

[bonch]

And since users have chosen the iPhone model and made it a success, they're obviously fine with it...so why blame anyone? Apple has chosen the appliance paradigm, and the users agreed with it.

Re:Lifted until?

[jgagnon]

I was just pointing out that blaming a company for continuing to use a financially successful model is pointless. Successful businesses do what is good for business.

If someone really wants to blame someone for Apple's behavior, it should be the users that support Apple because they wouldn't be able to continue that behavior without the support they receive.

But I agree with you, if everyone on the inside agrees it is a good thing then the people on the outside need to stay out.

Re:Lifted until?

[Provocateur]

The device fills a gap, and it seems a lot of people were stuck there until this device came along. Why do we have to wave our torches and pitchforks outside the fence when we could simply let these people have the all the tech they will ever need in a sensible form factor (and leave us alone)? We will still have our toys anyway (Android, Nokia N800 et al), and to an extreme, in that same form factor if one is determined enough.

If there ever comes a time when they will need us say, to do some jailbreaking (there is enough documentation -- and warnings against it), just remember to look annoyed, as usual =)

About time

[WiiVault]

Now where's teathering for us poor AT&T "customers"?

My understanding....

[ducomputergeek]

was that there was never a technical problem with this, but it was the face that ATT didn't want people to use VOIP over 3G because it competed with their voice offerings.

Re:My understanding....

[TheFaithfulStone]

I think it's safe to say that I understand none of your understanding.

Re:My understanding....

[gumbi west]

I'm just trying to figure out, is there a set of people who can read and understand the above post but does not already know information in the post?

Beginning of the end of telephony?

[uzyn]

This could mean the beginning of the end of traditional telephony, ie. mobile carriers will soon simply become ISPs with no one using its voice/SMS/MMS services.

Re:Beginning of the end of telephony?

[slimjim8094]

Oh God I hope so. It goes great with VoIP on the home-line side.

Why should there be a marginal cost to a phone call? There isn't - once you're paying for the infrastructure, it's free.

Re:Beginning of the end of telephony?

[Al Dimond]

We're used to thinking this way about the Internet because most wired ISPs don't charge per amount of data (although some use bandwidth caps and rate-limiting). But as it does require more infrastructure to send more data, charging for each phone call spreads the cost of the infrastructure over its users more fairly. I don't think the idea of charging per byte for cellular Internet will go away soon.

Re:Bluetooth Keyboard drivers

[whisper_jeff]

I would imagine it will work once the iPhone OS is updated when the iPad launches (or shortly before launch).

While we're at it... (other bluetooth profiles).

[weston]

When is the iPhone getting that? The iPad can use a bluetooth keyboard, but the iPhone can't? What kind of crap is this?

And while we're at it.... why not bluetooth syncing (with SYNCH, FTP, & OBEX), DUN for the touch and iPad, BPP (printing), and Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP)?

This isn't just an Apple problem, by the way. This is an industry-wide problem right now: "bluetooth" means a lot of things and most of the market doesn't seem to care to specify what. The BSIG ought to require those using the Bluetooth logo to specify which profiles a device supports, for the sake of consumer awareness and market pressure.

Re:Interesting

[nine-times]

Right. If that happens, then I think cell providers will be well on their way to becoming dumb pipes. I'm sure they don't like the idea, but it's the right way to go.

Re:All markets?

[jgagnon]

I suspect that people will more fully understand how it affects them when they look at their next bill. ;)

Re:SDK version 3.2 only? Skype not updated yet...

[silverpig]

Read the links. Fring works over 3G right now. Also, the skype app might be 3G enabled, just that it's not allowed to be used, similar to the state of the Fring app.

Re:Interesting

[rsborg]

Right. If that happens, then I think cell providers will be well on their way to becoming dumb pipes.

This still doesn't resolve the fact that you're going through THEIR pipes and given the corporate friendly FCC in this decade that decided to roll back regulations, THEY choose how to fuck you over... there are precious few providers, and two of the four use CDMA (which in its current implementation doesn't allow voice+data) while the other two use GSM/HSDPA (which is what's required for the iPad).

Now the situation in Europe might be different, but that's because their governments mandate standards and interoperability which creates competition.

In short, without government intervention there is very little hope of avoiding the balkanized price-gouging cell market we have today in the USA.