Skype for iPhone Updated to Support Multitasking

[skoops]

There seems to be a major flaw in the implementation of the backgrounding in Skype, either that or it's just me?

If you log into Skype while you have WiFi coverage, if you then move out of WiFi Skype stops working, it doesn't switch over to 3G automatically. You then don't receive any messages or calls.

Perhaps this is because they're not using push notifications, as I've not seen other apps do this?

This is not a flaw. It works as designed
You realize, that while on WiFi you have a completely different IP adress than via 3G? As soon as the phone loses wifi connectivity it gets a whole new ip adress from your cellular provider and all connections get aborted.
The only reason you haven't noticed any side effects of this behaviour is that you haven't been streaming any audio (or doing VOIP) while changing networks. All other data is packet based session data and nobody cares which ip adress it came from.

 

[cosmic68]

That's actually new in iOS4 - persistent WiFi.

Persistant wifi is not for iPhone, it's for iPod Touch.

 

[aegisdesign]

That was the thought. Unfortunately another VOIP app that just updated for multi-tasking last night is Acrobits, which I use for our office Asterisk server. Unfortunately it turns out that Apple crippled the background ability of VOIP by not allowing UDP transport to wake the device. So until most VOIP services give the option of TCP or TLS, it means still no backgrounding for VOIP. B'ah!!!!!

One step forward, two steps back with Apple. You can bet they won't add proper VoIP SIP support like Nokia have already, and have had for half a decade. Instead we'll get some new 'standard' like Facetime because supporting existing standards isn't good enough apparently.

As an example, just look at how Skype is done on the N900...

http://www.skype.com/intl/en/get-skype/on-your-mobile/builtin/nokia-n900/

It's built into the OS because Maemo has plugin support so that phone apps like Skype can totally integrate into the phone's address book, call facility, IM app and video support. That's how it should be done instead of stupid apps for everything the phone should do in the first place.

This morning I was looking at Twitter apps - there's about half a dozen for the N900 though none as nice as Gravity on Symbian - and some of those even just plug in to the native threaded SMS app and twitter userids appear in the phone's contacts automatically.

If Nokia could get their **** together finally they'd have a really cool device for power users.

 

[aegisdesign]

Normally, when i'm at my house (connected to my wifi network,) the iPhone will disconnect wifi and move to 3G after being put in sleep mode for about 30 secs. I can tell because when i hit the wake button, the 3G icon makes a brief appearance before changing to my wifi bars. However, it appears that, with skype in the background, the phone stays connected to wifi even in sleep mode!

Can you guys test this out on your phones and give me your results? I am very concerned about the impact on battery life because of this.

Thanks!

I don't know the exact implementation Skype use but most VoIP implementations rely on a constant connection registering your phone with a server in order that incoming calls work.

The phone will create a connection on a specific network port and keep it open, be it on WiFi or 3G. That's why it will affect battery life. Apple's weird multitasking APIs aren't magic there.

Also, as some people are finding out, if the connection disappears, the iPhone isn't automatically switching to another connection (eg. WiFi to 3G) and this appears to be a limitation of Apple's API. On other phones they often support things like UMA which will re-route a VoIP connection to 3G should WiFi disappear or more simply access point priorities where apps are told the most appropriately available connection should it change and will re-register with the VoIP provider.

I think I said it at the time iOS4 was announced but the multi-tasking API Apple gave us did NOTHING for VoIP support in the OS itself.

Roll on iOS5. Maybe they'll get there eventually although at this rate iOS is going to be full of legacy bandaids like push support and their inadequate VoIP multitasking API that they'll need a new OS.

 

[curiBox]

battery KILLER

This is a battery KILLER!! or is it just me?
My battery went down from 80's to 18% overnight! ( for about 6~7 hours)
I have iPhone 4 and had only Skype & WhatsApp turned on for multitasking.
My battery usually go down about 10~15% (max) with more than 10 apps running on a backgrounds.
Like to hear your experiences.

 

[Mac7]

Finally, been waiting for this

 

[batchtaster]

Sanity prevails.

 

[Igotmacqs]

Close but...

It seems like skype missed another opportunity to knock it out of the park on this one. If they were to commit the resources and get video chat up and running they would have a slam dunk. Oh, and please get going on an iPad version, even if multitasking is not currently an option, make us feel good about using our new big screens!

App User Reviews | http://www.appuserreviews.com

 

[Awalp]

the previous post seemed to indicate that it is not available for iPad?

Is there even a microphone on the iPad? If so are there voice over IP apps for iPad.

Who cares about skype anyway when there is Facetime. If Facetime could be compatible with other video & voice-over IP providers, better yet, if all video & voice over IP solutions could use a standard cross-platform compatible protocol so they all could communicate, video phones will be a standard thing within a year.

 

[anpecota]

that is why I wanted iOS 4 in the first place. so i can talk to people on skype yet do other things on my iphone. works great! even over 3G for now

 

[sjdigital]

Can anyone else repeat this bug?

1) Log into skype then background it.
2) Go into the ipod and play something
3) lock the screen.
4) activate the lock screen ipod controls and pause, turn off screen (using the home button)
5) Now the lock screen controls can't restart the audio playback. Also the double tap and slide left controls from unlocked iphone don't work. Basically it's like the music player is no longer backgrounded.

Signing out of skype seems to return the iphone to normal behavior.

-kap

Edit: looks like what's happening is once you pause the iPod, the skype app takes control of the audio so nothing is "playing" in the ipod to restart with the lockscreen controls. This is bad behavior.

This also happens with Fring

 

[manu chao]

This is a battery KILLER!! or is it just me?
My battery went down from 80's to 18% overnight! ( for about 6~7 hours)
I have iPhone 4 and had only Skype & WhatsApp turned on for multitasking.
My battery usually go down about 10~15% (max) with more than 10 apps running on a backgrounds.

Simply because most of your apps are NOT running in the background, but as soon as you add one that actually does run in the background, you'll notice it in battery life reduction (particularly one that uses the network).

 

[manu chao]

Can anyone else repeat this bug?

1) Log into skype then background it.
2) Go into the ipod and play something
3) lock the screen.
4) activate the lock screen ipod controls and pause, turn off screen (using the home button)
5) Now the lock screen controls can't restart the audio playback. Also the double tap and slide left controls from unlocked iphone don't work. Basically it's like the music player is no longer backgrounded.

Signing out of skype seems to return the iphone to normal behavior.

Edit: looks like what's happening is once you pause the iPod, the skype app takes control of the audio so nothing is "playing" in the ipod to restart with the lockscreen controls. This is bad behavior.

There can only be one app that is playing audio at any given time. We don't know whether it is Apple's or Skype's fault that Skype takes over the audio output. I have an alarm clock app which also takes over the audio, as you start it, it stops all other audio. (at least pre-iOS 4, don't have any hardware that supports audio background apps).

 

[DocNYz]

This is a battery KILLER!! or is it just me?
My battery went down from 80's to 18% overnight! ( for about 6~7 hours)
I have iPhone 4 and had only Skype & WhatsApp turned on for multitasking.
My battery usually go down about 10~15% (max) with more than 10 apps running on a backgrounds.
Like to hear your experiences.

I've had skype open non-stop since the app was updateable without plugging it in and my battery lasted for about 27 hours with constant more than normal usage. It's probably another app you have open (the location based ones use the most battery by far in my experience).

 

[zhenya]

I've had skype open non-stop since the app was updateable without plugging it in and my battery lasted for about 27 hours with constant more than normal usage. It's probably another app you have open (the location based ones use the most battery by far in my experience).

Were you using Skype much during that time? Otherwise, if you switched networks, say from wifi to 3g or vice-versa, it appears that Skype will go off-line, in which case it is merely hibernated in RAM and not using any power. You wouldn't be able to receive a call or IM either though.

 

[DocNYz]

the previous post seemed to indicate that it is not available for iPad?

Is there even a microphone on the iPad? If so are there voice over IP apps for iPad.

Who cares about skype anyway when there is Facetime. If Facetime could be compatible with other video & voice-over IP providers, better yet, if all video & voice over IP solutions could use a standard cross-platform compatible protocol so they all could communicate, video phones will be a standard thing within a year.

Because it also works with 3G and has better audio quality than a normal phone if you don't want to video chat or can't if you're not on WiFi. Fring did that already and then got screwed, but for a short period of time video chatting worked cross platform with skyp accounts as well as on 3G and wifi and was awesome. I really hope they bring that back.

 

[iMaconApple]

aww were the video chat?? i know they just made voice over 3G but at least make it over wifi for now so we can chat with other computers or cell phones that has front cam that dont need wifi..next update better have this or over 3G

 

[opnop123]

This is a battery KILLER!! or is it just me?
My battery went down from 80's to 18% overnight! ( for about 6~7 hours)
I have iPhone 4 and had only Skype & WhatsApp turned on for multitasking.
My battery usually go down about 10~15% (max) with more than 10 apps running on a backgrounds.
Like to hear your experiences.

Me too. Skype in background, Sleepcycle in foreground. Fully loaded, completely drained my 3GS in <6 hours. Result: Overslept a business meeting today. :-/

(I know Sleepcycle recommends to run with charger plugged in but before multitasking was added it never took more than a few percent during a full night)

Conclusion: iphone sucks at making calls, sucks at being an alarm clock. :->

 

[OGDaniel]

But does this deserve front page MR news?

Exactly what I was thinking.

And also does anyone think that Skype video calling will ever be available, or do you guys think Apple will more arbitrary with that?

 

[schataut]

This is a battery KILLER!! or is it just me?
My battery went down from 80's to 18% overnight! ( for about 6~7 hours)
I have iPhone 4 and had only Skype & WhatsApp turned on for multitasking.
My battery usually go down about 10~15% (max) with more than 10 apps running on a backgrounds.
Like to hear your experiences.

I had skype running in the BG for about 3-4 hrs (iphone 4) and it drained about 3% battery.

 

[Digipimp]

Doesnt work for me. Sure if I have my iPhone plugged in then I maintain a constant wifi connection and skype will stay connected and notify me quickly. Soon as I unplug my iPhone and lock it the wifi goes off and it switches to Edge since I cant get 3g inside my house and then Skype will disconnect and anyone who tries to call me gets told Im offline and redirected to Skype voicemail and I get no notifications.

Worthless

 

[Kentobentos]

This is a battery KILLER!! or is it just me?
My battery went down from 80's to 18% overnight! ( for about 6~7 hours)
I have iPhone 4 and had only Skype & WhatsApp turned on for multitasking.
My battery usually go down about 10~15% (max) with more than 10 apps running on a backgrounds.
Like to hear your experiences.

I had it running on 3G in the back ground and seem to suck battery more than usual...

 

[MacKeeperFanMod]

Umm... I'm begining to see why Apple encourages developers to use their notification system/push system rather than this multitasking that they've been pushed into.

Didn't anyone at Skype do any testing? When I take my iPhone 3GS off the charger, and just have it in standby, after 6 hours, I'm normally only down to 70%-80%. Today, with Skype running, but the phone not used at all during the day, after 6 hours, I was down to 20%. Come on guys, this is unusable. If that's how it's gonna be, I'll switch to some other product.

 

[Ol!ver]

Umm... I'm begining to see why Apple encourages developers to use their notification system/push system rather than this multitasking that they've been pushed into.

Didn't anyone at Skype do any testing? When I take my iPhone 3GS off the charger, and just have it in standby, after 6 hours, I'm normally only down to 70%-80%. Today, with Skype running, but the phone not used at all during the day, after 6 hours, I was down to 20%. Come on guys, this is unusable. If that's how it's gonna be, I'll switch to some other product.

My battery performance is nowhere near that bad - though I'm using an iPhone 4.

 

[zhenya]

Umm... I'm begining to see why Apple encourages developers to use their notification system/push system rather than this multitasking that they've been pushed into.

Didn't anyone at Skype do any testing? When I take my iPhone 3GS off the charger, and just have it in standby, after 6 hours, I'm normally only down to 70%-80%. Today, with Skype running, but the phone not used at all during the day, after 6 hours, I was down to 20%. Come on guys, this is unusable. If that's how it's gonna be, I'll switch to some other product.

Part of the issue appears to be how Apple allows apps to maintain a connection in the background. From what I've read (and I'm not a developer - just an individual who has been waiting for functional VOIP for a long time) - apps are VERY limited in what kinds of network traffic they can use in the background. Basically, an app can either stay fully awake in the background, which will drain your battery VERY fast or it can hibernate, but then it can't do ANY normal methods of keeping a connection stream open - all it can do is wake up when it hears ANY network traffic, check if that traffic is for them, then take action if it is, or go back to sleep if its not. That's why the battery life sucks, and push notifications use less power. Push notifications are a stopgap though too, because you are relying on an intermediary server, which in my experience, is not reliable - certainly not reliable enough for phone service.

The end result is that multi-tasking in iOS4 is not VOIP friendly, and we will continue to wait for a real VOIP solution.