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Skype for the iPhone appears to have captured the imaginations of Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) bloggers this week.
Meanwhile, iPod shuffle sales surprisingly surged, and news of iPhone 3.0 OS software features continued to trickle in.
Skype Hype
Ever since the iPhone emerged, Skype fans have been wondering when they'd get a chance to use their favorite VoIP service for Internet-based Skype phone calls. The iPhone has been capable of VoIP services for some time, and other VoIP apps exist, but the emergence of a network as popular as Skype is noteworthy.
News that such a popular VoIP provider was coming to the iPhone likely did not thrill carriers. Really, do any of Apple's iPhone carrier partners actually want their customers to start using the Internet to make calls instead of their own cellular talk infrastructures that bill by the minute? Even with unlimited minute plans and rollover minutes, Skype on a cell phone is certainly a competitive application.
Meanwhile, there are about 400 million Skype users around the world (mostly on PCs or Macs), and a big reason a lot of them use Skype is to avoid costly phone bills. For people who travel or call abroad often and face really steep international calling rates, Skype is an excellent option.
Of course, for calls to be free, users have to have Internet connections and connect to others who are also running Skype. Skype can call regular phone numbers too, but those calls are charged on a per-minute basis.
WiFi Only on iPhone
Skype for the iPhone appeared this week in the Apple App Store, and not surprisingly, it needs a WiFi connection to work. If you're on an EDGE iPhone or even a 3G iPhone, you can't use Skype unless you're connected to the Internet via WiFi.
However, on the developer preview of iPhone 3.0 OS, it appears that Skype will use AT&T's (NYSE: T) data connections to make and receive calls. 9to5mac.com posted a video of Skype working in such a way, noting that it even works on EDGE-based connections. "We just made a Skype call over 3G to another 3.0 iPhone using 3G. The sound quality was as good, if not better than normal AT&T," notes Cleve Nettles in the post.
Some reactions, however, were muted. "It's not big news ... it will probably be corrected by Apple before 3.0 goes final," 9to5mac commenter faquick wrote.
Might this signal the end of voice service carriers?
"Well sure, but then they just turn into data carriers. So what?" comments a 9to5Mac Noob.
"Precisely! But how much are you willing to pay per month for unlimited data?" asks Josh Hawn.
Catalyst for More WiFi Calling?
"Skype is crippled on iPhone ... so in two ways it doesn't pose a threat to carriers -- first it's WiFi only, and second, you can't access your Skype voicemail," Chris Hazelton, research director of Mobile and Wireless for the 451 Group, told MacNewsWorld.
"Because you can't have the Skype client running continuously, you're going to be getting a lot of voicemail, and then you can't get access to that voicemail from iPhone. It basically limits it to outbound calls unless you have the application active, which is hard to do because of the architecture of the iPhone," he explained.
"But it will be a very good tool for travelers looking to initiate low-cost, long-distance calls," added Hazelton.
Plus, he said, Skype has the potential to drive increased mobile VoIP calling.
"There are other VoIP clients on iPhone -- Fring is another service that actually uses Skype -- but Skype has a large network of users," Hazelton pointed out. "Just as iPhone re-energized the touchscreen in the mobile market, Skype on iPhone could do the same thing for Voice over WiFi."
Talking iPod Shuffle Sells Well
Apple's recently released iPod shuffle, which has its button control set on an included pair of headphones rather than on the device itself, has been getting decent, yet qualified, reviews. Reviewers have generally reported that the tiny form factor looks good and the device works well, but the Apple-supplied earbud headphones limit the new shuffle's ability to be used with other headphones that customers might prefer. That will remain the case at least until third parties are able to develop new headphones with inline controls for the iPod shuffle.
Despite that limitation, AppleInsider reported that sales shot up 50 percent in the first full week of availability, based on data originating from market research firm NPD. The next week, sales rose an additional 10 percent.
"All the whiners complained about the new shuffle ... saying it sucks ... guess they were wrong about that too. Looks like people do want the new shuffle," comments hillstones in the AppleInsider.com post on the subject.
"While I think the new shuffle is a great improvement ... I don't think this article is proof of the success of this new design. The upswing in sales is common for a major product revision. Even the [BlackBerry Storm] had a swell of new sales and carrier contracts ... before an about 50 percent returned the device," added solipsism.
Not everyone, it seems, was won over by the design or the news of good sales.
"Regardless, it still sucks," observes teckstud.
Then again, here's a quick testimonial from a new user, shagghie, who bought one for his fiance:
"A week later, and I'm enthralled by the new shuffle and wished I had bought one. Yesterday, she told me while at the gym, the new shuffle is 'so freeing' while on the treadmill and in the gym. No need to look down, navigate, or even LOCATE the device ... and you can select from multiple playlists immediately ... something I can't do my 2nd gen shuffle. Put another way, the new talking shuffles are bad ass, and only 'suck' until you actually own one ... take it from me ... a first hand convert whose red 2nd gen shuffle is already collecting dust."
More Apps for iPhone
The second beta of iPhone 3.0 OS has an interesting new ability that lets users add two additional pages of applications, according to The Loop Blog. Right now, current iPhones max out at nine pages of apps -- 16 per page, plus the locked bottom four app spots, for a total of 148 apps. If the two extra pages pan out in the final version, users will get to hold a total of 180 apps.
Some commenters called out the screenshot and story as an April Fool's Day fake, but at least a couple of posters said they were able to replicate it or had seen others with the developer version do the same thing.
Either way, 180 apps -- that's a lot of apps!
"That's good to know that you can have more apps now. I wish Apple would allow folders to be made to store all the apps, though. I'm jailbroken and only have 2 pages. It is much more organized than having 7 pages without the folders," comments alexbates.
Still, some users are looking past the pages method for organization and toward the iPhone's Spotlight search, a new feature that will come with the 3.0 upgrade.
"With the new OS, having Spotlight search feature almost eliminates the need for a folder hierarchy. Simply slide the home screen to the left for Spotlight or hit the Home button from any screen with double click and enter your search criteria, be it an app, email, calendar event, note, etc. ... The iPhone will display in category view all items matching ... even in your e-mail," comments AbblePC.
Power to the Power Users!
Seriously, though, isn't 148 apps a lot already?
"Hehehe, 11 screens. How funny. I have four and only really use two screens," Sven Rafferty, founder of hyperSven and SvenOnTech.com blogger, told MacNewsWorld. "Why do people need all these screens? How much time are we spending on our phone, people? Anyway, I know some power users that will be happy with the extra pages, as they are vocal about the current limit, but most people aren't going to care."
"Search may be good for some everyday users -- I know I will be using it, but I am a power user. I can see disorganized people taking advantage of this, but most users will probably not use it," Rafferty explained.
"Heck, I've heard from many users that don't even know you can use Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Maps right out in the Address Book," he added.
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