Several month after AT&T relaxed its restrictions on the power of voice - over - IP apps to make shout over the troupe ’s 3 G meshwork , Skype has released version 2.0 of its client software program for the iPhone .
The only major feature introduced by the update is support for calling over 3 G networks , which the software maker had been promise at least since last February . While many of its competitors have already made the necessary change to enable 3 GiB promise , Luxembourg - based Skype has admit a more deliberate approach to the summons so that it could include support for its SILK codec , which delivers near - CD tone and can compensate for connection latent period to declare oneself the full call quality possible .
While the tidings of the app ’s availability is likely to be welcome by iPhone user , the fact that it will eventually come at a damage may not be . harmonize to the release notes that companion the update , Skype - to - Skype call over 3 chiliad is presently detached , but only until August , when an as yet unspecified “ belittled monthly fee ” will quetch in .
While the company currently charges customers for calls to the populace switched sound mesh , calls between two Skype user have so far been completely free on both desktop and nomadic clients ( and will , presumptively , persist to do so on the iPhone , too , as long as they occur over Wi - Fi ) . The new fee could signal that Skype ’s new owners , led by investor group Silver Lake , are look at new ways to monetize the telephony service to improve its execution after it floundered under eBay ’s leading .
Skype 2.0 for iPhone , which also includes a few venial bug fix and carrying into action improvements , requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later and work on iPod touch , iPhone and iPad in iPhone - compatibility modality .
