True VoIP on iPhone with SDK?

[klex]

Does anyone think that true VoIP will come to the iPhone with the SDK. I know that there are programs that allow you to use Skype on your iPhone but since those system work by having Skype calling your phone and then transfering the call you are not only wasting minutes, but also your SkypeOut credit.

I hear rumors that Truphone was working on something, but is this just wishful thinking? Would AT&T not have covered that in their contract with Apple, i.e. that Apple would not allow software on the iPhone that would make true VoIP possible?

Share your thoughts and knowledge please

 

[jav6454]

Does anyone think that true VoIP will come to the iPhone with the SDK. I know that there are programs that allow you to use Skype on your iPhone but since those system work by having Skype calling your phone and then transfering the call you are not only wasting minutes, but also your SkypeOut credit.

I hear rumors that Truphone was working on something, but is this just wishful thinking? Would AT&T not have covered that in their contract with Apple, i.e. that Apple would not allow software on the iPhone that would make true VoIP possible?

Share your thoughts and knowledge please

HIGHLY doubt VoIP comes to the iPhone. It would eat at AT&T's revenue. So in that sense it would also eat at Apple's revenue because of there agreement. Hence, Apple won't allow VoIP apps

 

[SheriffParker]

Seems pretty unlikely that Apple/at&t would ever allow this. However, someone will probably figure it out at some point. Its just a question of how much effort Apple puts into stopping it.

 

[paduck]

I don't think Apple or AT&T will care if you decide to use VOIP. After all, you have to still buy cell phone service from AT&T. All this does is take some of the burden off their network. I doubt that they are making much money on people who blow the limit. There is a lot of talk on industry web pages about wireless pushing for VOIP on cellular phones just to shift the burden of calls to someone else. They take advantage of someone else's infrastructure and get you more committed to the phone than every before. Apple, certainly, would love that. As long as AT&T is exclusive, they'll want it as well.

Plus, the only competition would be an iTouch which, as we know, doesn't have the ear piece and microphone, thus making it a poor choice as a VOIP phone. That would be what AT&T cares about - people having an Apple alternative to the iPhone. And they don't.

Plus, once the software is coded, how can Apple or AT&T shut it down? Apple is going to provide access to the earpiece and microphone for other reasons and the VOIP will just link right in there. I see this as an additional selling point, not something that is going to be controversial.