Apple to Amend iPhone SDK Agreement to Get VoIP over AT&T 3G Apps Into the App Store ASAP

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Apple has now weighed in with regards to AT&T's announcement today that they would be changing their policy and allowing VoIP (Voice over IP) to operate over their 3G network (something they'd previously asked Apple not to allow). When reached for comment, Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris told TiPb:

We're very happy that AT&T is now supporting VoIP applications. We will be amending our developer agreement to get VoIP apps on the App Store and in customers’ hands as soon as possible.

Hopefully this means users on other carriers, liberated by AT&T along with the rest of us, will now also get VoIP over 3G apps. If any international carriers do decide to ban VoIP themselves at this point -- yeah, we don't see that going over well at all.

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

11 Comments
  • wOOt! Pretty surprising. How long will take for Skype and the players to get 3G app updates out? Now I wonder what this could mean for Google Voice, even though it is not a VoIP service.
  • I wonder if this would've still happened without big brother doing their investigation??? Either way, I'm happy!
  • @Guido:
    My thoughts exactly.
    That, and Verizon going Android.
    Skype needs notifications to be really useful. Its silly to have to use Fring/IM+ to get skype to be a usable calling option.
  • This is completely surprising! I don't use Skype because AT&T's lowest amount of minutes (when you account for free mobile to mobile and virtually unlimited nights and weekends) is sufficient for me, but it will be interesting to see if the people who buy the unlimited everything plans scale back in light of Skype that can now be used anywhere. I will say though that it's not a perfect solution because I have tried Skype over EDGE via jailbreak and it's not particularly reliable in my tests. It will be a much more valuable addition to people who consistently have 3G coverage, which I think is probably most of us.
  • What about apps like sling player?
  • So are we gonna get google voice as a result of this?
  • pressure's on apple to approve the GV app now...
    Conwazy: AT&T allowing users to VoIP - will I start using m... http://conwazy.blogspot.com/2009/10/at-allowing-users-to-use-voip-will-i...
  • @Al
    "It will be a much more valuable addition to people who consistently have 3G coverage, which I think is probably most of us."
    Did you see the maps in the Verizon commercial?? ;-)
  • There's a lot of talk about ATT's lack of VOIP apps. Wonder if Verizon Wireless has any VOIP apps on its meager apps site. I didn't see any when I checked their site--seemed like they had only 100 apps.
  • Any word about Rogers?
    (As I say this, Fark's "unlikely" tag is clearly visible in my mind's eye)
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