When I think of using VoIP on a mobile phone, I think of the portion of the call originating from the handset going over an IP connection, usually over WiFi. I can and do make VoIP calls with the Nokia N95 version of Gizmo Project. There are other solutions as well, for example Fring or Truphone.
The iPhone? No third-party applications that aren't on a web browser. Certainly no VoIP applications on the handset itself. AT&T would likely not allow it. There's no way to do an IP-based call from the iPhone that I am aware of.
There are plenty of VoIP-enabled services that are cool, but use it on the backend. For example, GrandCentral, TalkPlus, Jajah, Jangl, Numbr, and a metric ton of others. The call to or from the mobile handset occurs over the mobile phone network.
When I see blog posts like this one from Vinay over at Free VoIP Solution that says VoIP is coming to the iPhone, I have to call BS. Oh sure, their product works with the safari browser on the iPhone, so what? Most of the other services I mention also probably work with the iPhone browser as well. Jajah posted a video to YouTube showing how it works. Do they bring VoIP to the iPhone too? Bah!
Am I right or am I being overly precise in my expectations? Post your thoughts in the comments.
{ 3 } Comments
Can’t agree more.
AT&T pays Apple a $200 finder’s fee for every Iphone sold.
They’re paying that money for the privilege of raking in many overpriced cellular minutes over the next two years.
Anything threatening that bought-and-paid-for revenue stream (e.g. VoIP on iPhone) will be intensely opposed by AT&T and correspondingly Apple if they want to remain friends with AT&T.
By comparison, Nokia’s cellphone VoIP client is already in its 3rd generation…
Apple might have a contractual obligation to prevent VoIP on the iPhone. Of course, one will never know about their agreement.
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