iPhone Opened to Skype, VoIP Services

VoIP and mobile Internet software maker Fring has released a beta version of its Fring product for the iPhone, which will enable iPhone users to get free phone access via its WiFi connection.Fring enables users to connect via their cell phones to services such as Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, SIP, Twitter, Yahoo!, and AIM. With the new product, iPhone owners who have "opened" their phone with a product like Jailbreak or Ziphone can connect to those services as well, bypassing the normal carrier tie-in.

Eliminating the carrier isn't the only way Fring conflicts with Apple's intentions for the phone: The application also runs in the background, which is a no-no according to Apple's iPhone SDK. So iPhone owners will want to be careful before committing any critical communications to the Fring route.The Inquirer, The Register