Video calling has been a hot topic since the release of the latest Android phones and the iPhone 4. This is mostly because of FaceTime, Apple’s solution for robust video calling. FaceTime only allows calls from iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 and both phones need access to a WiFi network. You cannot use FaceTime on your standard data plan.
We’ve seen at least one workaround, but Fring has caused a stir in the market by enabling video calling across the board. This new feature came with the launch of the latest Fring iPhone app. While the quality may not be as good as FaceTime, you could make calls on your standard 3G connection. You could even make calls across networks and to a desktop using Fring’s Skype support. Well, that was until Skype blocked the Fring application.
To be fair, it looks like Fring turned off Skype first. So many people were playing with the video calling feature that their network was strained. To compensate, they temporarily turned off Skype support. Later, they say Skype demanded that they not turn it back on and went so far as to call Skype “cowards.”
Now that fring expanded capacity to support the huge demand for video calling for all users, Skype has blocked us from doing so.
They are afraid of open mobile communication. Cowards.
Needless to say, we are very disappointed that Skype, who once championed the cause of openness is now trying to muzzle competition, even at the expense of its own users.
We’re sorry for the inconvenience Skype has caused you.
You would think that would be the end of it. Skype, possibly afraid of a little competition, decides to block Fring. There is a discrepancy in the story, though. In response to an inquiry from TechCrunch, a Skype spokesperson says they have been debating with Fring about whether they operate in accordance with Skype’s terms of use and license agreements for some time now. They go on to say that they did not block Fring from anything and it was entirely Fring’s decision to stop offering Skype.
This is obviously not the end of the story and it will be interesting to see how this pans out. Until then, you can download Fring, call up your friends, and tell us what you think about it.