Skype for iPhone goes live in Japan
By Darren Murph 
posted March 30th 2009 12:31PM
posted March 30th 2009 12:31PM
[Via Engadget Japanese]
posted March 30th 2009 12:31PM
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cant wait to jump on this later
I'm this close to buying the iPod touch and putting this on our Wi-Fi network at work. My only question is whether it'll get through all the firewall layers with good reception.
I can't wait to get this either. But is there a way to import your existing iPhone contacts' landline/mobile number?
I'm totally exciting about this. Makes life so much easier!
No need to wait, buddies. Just do this:
1. Go to the Japan iTunes Store.
2. Create a new account without a credit card and enter any Japan address information (I entered the US embassy).
3. Confirm your account via email and voila!
4. Download Skype 7+ hours before everyone else in the US does.
If your at job, why dont you use your computer for skype??
Thanks ChuckGee, worked like a charm!
Does this work on the iPod Touch? It should but...
err.. why do people need skype for theuir iphone? iphone itself is a phone... maybe i'm missing the point here
if this doesnt work for ipod touch, i think skype is useless
yep. you're missing the point.
I'll give you a hint: skype cost a whole lot less than minutes from a carrier.
skype is cheaper??? no shit, with all the iphone contract makes you pay for? if u have iphone contract, might as well as put it to a good use and use up those minutes and texts. besides, u can use aim to chat over 3g, which i bet is even cheaper than skype
besides, skype is cheap only if u have wifi (in office/home) which means u already have a phone free of additional charge. but if u r on the road, calling over 3g??? (considering how u have to pay for internet at starbucks, and myriad of other cafes and restaurants)
this is more useful on an ipod touch, not the phone
Because you can call internationally for A LOT cheaper and your cell phone is almost always with you, unlike a laptop.
uh, calm down there, cowboy.
this will allow people to get the MINIMUM number of minutes and the talk as much as they want. Get it? Lat time I checked you HAVE to use Wi-Fi with VOIP apps on the iPhone.
This means that I can call friends and clients from the local coffee shop (not starbucks), for example and not use minutes on my account.
It also means that when I'm home, I don't need a land line, I don't need to sit in from of my computer to make calls, and I don't need to use minutes on my AT&T account
And no, this won't work on the Touch, since it has no microphone.
If you look at pic in the gallery, it says iPod Touch as supported hardware. Although, this is most likely a lesser version with chat functionality only?
@CragJ
The 2nd gen iPod touch does support microphones :) Not the first one, sadly
Huh, that's cool. You learn something new every day.
Nice to hear its working good (minus the developers with their fancy 3.0). Hope we get to see a native app for the Pre also.
Like someone has an iPhone in Japan. Duh.
Several hundred thousand of us do. Your point?
Did you not see the lines of people at the Japanese launch?
There's a lot of iPhone's in Japan, however, public wifi access is very scarce, given that almost everybody has a 3G phone with a good data plan already, too bad voice isn't allowed over 3G.
@jcaiazzo Japanese iPhone provider, Softbank, says you can't use VoIP over 3G but according to the Japanese Engadget site, a user has reported that he/she was able to make a Skype call over 3G.
http://japanese.engadget.com/2009/03/30/iphone-skype/
Why is this so great fo rthe iphone when it doesn't have a forward facing camera for video calls? I would think the LG's, HTC's and X1's would be better equiped for this app? Are calls for FREE with this? I didn't think so.....
Can't wait!
Yeah, I am waiting too !!! Hope it works over 3G !
They aren't allowed to work over 3G or EDGE. Apple's App Store policy (at the request of AT&T) forbids VOIP applications over anything but WiFi.
That said, if you jailbreak, you can trick the phone in to thinking it's on WiFi all the time, even when it's on EDGE/3G.
Ummm well NIMBUZZ works over 3G and thats VOIP, I used skype account to call family OS and you can get that from the app store.... sooooooooooo ummmmmmmm wrong?
Soon to come
First impressions on skype for iphone
Review on skype for iphone
What would you change in skype for iphone?
hahahahahahahaha
it HAS to happen.
maybe " Skypee KIRF"
Wait though. First they have to make a post for each of the timezones it's released in. (Not like I complain. Like every other spammer should, I skip over the posts I don't want to read.)
The apps just keep getting better. Hopefully it isn't too buggy.
good thing i am using a German iTunes account, So i'll be able to dowload this earlier! (sweeet)
although, i am using 3.0 (dammit) .. lets see how this works with a bluetooth headset... :S
why is engadget still talking about this? they act like this is the best thing since sliced bread.
It feels like 2006 all over again.
Oh, no wait, that just the iPhone late to the ball...
Yeah. Because Apple owns Skype, and therefore has to write it..
Right?
Right?
So, works great except for the phone's built-in mic and speaker? Sounds perfect!
In all seriousness, who is this dude who tests a new app on a prerelease (probably hacked) phone OS? Is he related to Mr. Blurrycam? Can't we get someone with a proper OS version to test Skype for those who are interested?
Anyone know if there's a bonafide Skype app in the works for the G1? I've tried iSkoot, but it's not great...
You really don't need at least one other friend with spyke. How about using skype out? Call any landline/cellphone
Its cool, but I dont see the point with using it with the iPhone/AT&T combo unless its just for cheaper International calling. Isnt the point of Skype to use data for calling instead of traditional cell?? From what I understand, they've "fixed" it so that it only works on WiFi. But even if it worked with 3G data (which they would never allow it anyway), you wouldnt be saving any money because you're required to have a voice plan with the iPhone. So you'd be paying for voice with AT&T plus paying Skype.
Maybe if AT&T had a data only iPhone plan with zero minutes with the option to use your cell for something like $0.20 a minute (like T-Mobile's "Total Internet" $40 internet-only plan) & you could use Skype on both 3G + WiFi, it would be totally worth it to a lot of people to just go without a bucket of minutes from their provider. But of course, it'll be a cold day in hell before they let that happen.
The cell companies want you suckling on their voice teet for as long as possible. Even though voice, data, sms, etc is basically all data anyways.
Im using a Touch Pro here (WinMo) on Sprint with the SERO plan.
EVDO-Rev A (think of it as 3G+ in terms of quality/consistency/coverage --also piggy back for free off of Verizon)
For $49/month, I get all of my ridiculously awesome SERO plan features (1250 anytime, unlimited data, tether via cooked ROM, unlimited N/W starting at 5PM, free m2m, unlimited MMS/SMS, etc etc) but for only $30/year, I also get unlimited Skype for mobile to mobile or mobile to landline or skype to skype (default).
I say for $30 a year, it's worth it.
I do come on occassions close to going over my 1250 anytime mins (despite the 5pm n/w via SERO), and that's when my unlimited EVDO-RevA data plan kicks in and when I resort to Skype for a mere $2.50/month.
But yeah, it does suck for you iPhone folks.
Why would they limit it to Wi-Fi?
I mean, is this Apple's doing or AT&T's? Because Skype works just fine on my Touch Pro using my EVDO-Rev A data plan.
That seems very restrictive and locked-down...almost pointless to even use since most of the time people will be without a Wi-Fi connection but will almost always have data connection capabilities.
Really stupid...
You think Apple actually gives a shit about how much bandwidth you use for Skype? Hell no. If anything, limiting it to WiFi only hurts them. So it's obviously AT&T
@Hamidxa: The only reason why you can do that is because you're in a small minority. If everyone were to jump on your bandwagon, Verizon would lock that down quicker than liquid lightning.
BTW, EVDO-A is a 3g standard. If you want to compare different radio technologies within the 3g spec, you should compare EVDO - A to HSDPA or EDGE or whatever. EVDO-A is not "3g+" as it does not exceed 14.4Mbps.
My gawd, is it really that hard to figure out? So if you're home, or at any wifi hotspot, you can use the iphone as a skype phone, without using your computer. Really, is it that hard?
Using this app with an Ipod Touch once they role out the new OS 3.0 with bluetooth should be pretty sweet. I am going overseas this summer so this is a perfect solution.
what just happened?
I dunno, but I like it.
LMAO you apple fanbois get wet in the pants over the dumbest of shit.
If this is on a touch, neato. If some douchebag uses this on his iphone, lmao for you're as dumb as fuck.
are you really that stupid? (rhetorical question, by the way)
So, if I use this from home on my iPhone to make calls instead of using my minutes I'm dumb as fuck? Cool - dumb as fuck is pretty hip then.
My girlfriend will love this, even on an iPhone. She's from California and uses SkypeOut all the time at home but she's always tied to her computer on it. Now she'll be able to walk around the house and do what she likes.
Sounds minor, but it'll make a difference for her. Difference for me, though, is it'll be my iPhone so I won't be able to dick around on Rolando while she's walking around the place talking!