Not had much time or quiet to complete posts recently. Of course I downloaded Skype for iPhone on the first day! It works with 3.0 installed and I’ve had the time since to play with it. It is very very good. All the reviews have been written so I won’t review them or refer to them further. I have just a couple of points and observations.
Skype for iPhone:
1. Frees me even more from my PC. The key communication service I use on my PC/Mac is now on my Mobile. So no matter how it is integrated or works in the background or not it means I have it. I had a Skype call sitting by my pool today without having to carry the laptop out. I walked around the garden! While there were solutions before that allowed this (eg dualphone, some bluetooth or wireless headsets) there’s nothing quite like using the mobile you are comfortable with. What I’m beginning to need is better battery life. I’m now charging my phone twice per day. NOT good.
2. With the exception of gTalk all my other chat / apps on the iPhone (Nimbuzz, Fring, etc.) are redundent. I also still think of Facebook as merely a directory. The people I call most often are on Skype or I have a number (often in network unlimited minutes). I don’t go to Facebook to make that call in the first place. The killer solution remains at the intersection of identity (the directory), the voice video channel, presence or status, and chat. Skype doesn’t have an effective status system. Twitter does and Facebook sort of. gTalk on the iPhone is web-based and can only be used for chat. It also has no multi-chat. Skype Video on the iPhone would be revolutionary. I still see “context” (reason you want to talk) before the call as a great next step. The problem is signaling when the client is offline. email and SMS can help with that as Phweet has proven. This is even more important when you don’t want breaches of privacy. I must admit I’m itching to build that client.
3. Location will matter. I don’t know what numbers Skype can expect on the iPhone. It’s already in the millions+. I know both my wife and daughter now have it on theirs naturally. Right now they will use it occasionally. They may use SkypeOut more. As it won’t run in the background. The iPhone already means that if Skype wants to compete with the future of communication it must manage location updates. This will make their iPhone and notification service central to where and how Skype and the iPhone develops. Additionally, connecting on the move with people outside your general buddylist without ongoing breaches of privacy is the new challenge. Integrating Skype with Twitter functionality would be an effective step forward.
4. Mobile means more intimacy. I do remember when the stories emerged of people taking their laptops to bed and then yacking away. I’m sure it is still going on. Taking the mobile to bed… so to speak and now Skype with it means chats and connections seemlessly moving to Skype are now even more likely. Skype’s “international” profile makes that even more likely. When more people can make international calls from anywhere at anytime those personal conversations will increase.
5. Telecom operators are in for interesting times. As I am running iPhone 3.0 beta it seems I can make Skype calls over 3G connections.
In the meantime I love having Skype on the iPhone. Although my battery life appears way down when I leave it running. That could also be the 3.0 software I’m running. Not sure at the moment.
