Skype and VoIP on Mobile Platforms - an Update Summary
New "Skype for mobile" partner offerings come out of their cocoon.
At a local blogger reception last night I was showing two of the "Skype for Blackberry" applications to several Blackberry addicted attendees who requested links to where they could evaluate the various services themselves. So here's an update summary.
About six months ago the only Skype mobile offering on the market was Skype's own Skype for Windows Mobile which would run on any Windows Mobile device but with Skype's own caveats:
- Best recommended for use on devices with WiFi connectivity.
- For GSM/GPRS networks, the recommendation is to use it only on 3G networks, with good reason.
Skype for Smartphone and Skype for Pocket PC are designed to be used with high-speed Wi-Fi or 3G connections. If you are using Skype for Smartphone or Skype for Pocket PC on GPRS, then you will be able to use chat but GPRS does not provide sufficient bandwidth to support voice calling.
The real issue here is that VoIP on a mobile device
- places excessive demand on the devices resources, including the processor and battery,
- has an inherent, unacceptable latency when used over 2.x G networks,
- places significant demands over data networks and
- is only economically viable over networks that have unlimited data plans.
This is supported not only by the caveats that Skype cautions re using Skype for Mobile but also that Truphone places on using their newly released Truphone 3.0 client and service over a 3G network:
Fantastic if you've got a generous (or 'all-you-can-eat') data tariff, but do note that cost, quality and availability of 3G services vary enormously. While it is possible to talk for free walking down the street, it is also possible to run up a huge bill this way.
Of the two connectivity options, Skype for Mobile and Truphone run most cost effectively over WiFi connections and provide excellent voice quality. Only Skype has full IM chat and presence features; however.
Keeping these caveats in mind, several vendors have recently released Skype-based applications and services for mobile devices that rely on the underlying wireless phone infrastructure for actually handling the voice conversation while using the data service to set up the call (via Skype or SkypeOut) and to handle, where included, the IM activity (presence status and chat) as well as mood messages.
From a platform point of view, Mobivox (in beta) provides Skype/SkypeOut access from any phone, wireless or wireline, provided you have their local access numbers. They use voice recognition as a key element of the user interface but lack any chat or online presence.
For the Blackberry we have seen the recent release of two services that provide both IM and voice services:
- IM+ for Skype Software (Blackberry version), and
- iSkoot (in beta)
and for the Nokia N-Series we have seen:
- Fring
- IM+ for Skype Software (Symbian version) (in beta)
- iSkoot (only N73 and N80 announced)
Bottom line: as I have maintained in the past, Skype on a mobile platform runs best when the IM component runs on the device as a data service but the underlying native wireless voice service is used to make a mobile base station voice connection. With iSkoot and IM+ for Skype Software, we are seeing real world examples of how this can play out while still taking advantage of Skype and SkypeOut services.
In closing, several times the security issue with respect to some of these services has been raised. Suffice it to say, the executives of these companies are very aware of security issues as being fundamental to the integrity of their business. They have taken measures to not compromise security (or leave login/password information otherwise exposed). This will be the subject of a separate post.
Some recent Skype Journal posts about these services:
- IM+ 2.5: Call Your (Skype and Blackberry) Contacts Your Way!
- iSkoot Launches Beta Client and Service for Blackberry
- Skype on the Blackberry - More Experiences (with links to two previous posts).
- Somebody Gets the Skype Mobile Picture Right
- Mobivox Presentation Collateral
If you try out any of these services, please leave your Comments with this post. User experiences are most appreciated.
Tags: Skype, Skype Mobile, SkypeOut, IM+ for Skype Software, iSkoot, Fring, Mobivox, Blackberry, Nokia N-series, Truphone
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