Fring, fring: VoIP calling the iPhone

16-04-2008

by Ciara O'Brien

Voice over IP client Fring has released a version of the application for the iPhone, effectively giving users of the Apple device free phone calls.

However, would-be users will have to unlock their iPhone to use it, and may need to be in range of Wi-Fi hotspots to get the most out of the application.

Fring integrates with different VoIP clients, including Skype, MSN, Google pTalk and AIM, allowing users to access them all through a single interface. The application is already available for devices running Series 60 and Windows Mobile. Fring uses its own protocol, which was created with mobile use in mind, circumventing any problems in getting the various VoIP applications' protocols to work on mobile networks.

The major drawback at the moment though is that users will have to be in range of a Wi-Fi hotspot in order for it to work as it's intended. Technology commentator Damien Mulley said that the Fring application was very useful, but pointed out that the iPhone's use of EDGE made the use of VoIP on the move practically impossible. The anticipated 3G version of the iPhone could solve this problem, providing users with a faster data connection.

"Obviously Fring is a good thing. It's definitely going to help people connect to each other around the world for free, once they are in a Wi-Fi area," Mulley told ENN.

There are plenty of other advantages for users of the application. Mulley pointed out that Fring also uses SIP (session initiation protocol), a signalling protocol that would effectively allow users to port a landline number to their mobile and take it on the move.

Steve Jobs and Co are unlikely to be too pleased about this latest development. This is exactly the type of application that Jobs said would not be allowed on the iPhone when he launched the software developers' kit last month. With free calls as a lure the Fring application could very well work to increase the number of iPhones being unlocked.

However, customers who unlock their iPhones do so at their peril. A previous update of the firmware on the iPhone resulted in unlocked devices being rendered effectively useless. Hackers figured out a way to roll back part of the update, but had difficulty in recovering some of the functions of the device.

To combat the growing number of unlocked phones, Apple announced it was to release the software developer's kit for the iPhone, which would allow third-party developers to get their applications on to the iPhone legitimately. The SDK has already been criticised, however, with one blogger describing it as "a bunch of hype for something stupid", due to the restrictions on the device, such as only being able to run one application at a time, and no full file system access.