Fring’s updated iPhone app let iPhone 4 owners make the most out of video calling. While the iPhone 4 native FaceTime only allowed video calls from one iPhone 4 to another, Fring’s iPhone app let iPhone 4 owners hold video chats with people using Fring on Nokia or Android smartphones as well as on desktop computers. Video chatting from iPhone 4 to desktop computers was made possible by Fring’s support of Skype. People could use their Skype contacts on Fring and hold instant messaging and video conversations with them.
Because of the overenthusiastic response received by Fring, the app creators had to temporarily suspend support for Skype till they could cope with the load. After they took the necessary measures to handle the Skype load, Fring reports that Skype asked them to discontinue support for Skype on their app.
This did not please Fring. According to Fring:
“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.”
But Skype tells a different story. Skype has been in talks with Fring for quite some time now, trying to figure out whether Fring complies with Skype’s terms of use. They say the decision to block Skype was completely Fring’s and that Skype has not blocked Fring from anything.
At this point it is not possible to tell which version of the story is true. All Fring users want right now is for Skype support to be enabled as soon as possible.
With their iPhone app’s new update, Fring allows iPhone 4 users to conduct 2-way video conferences. Unlike Apple’s own FaceTime, Fring is not restricted to iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 video calls; instead, you can use Fring across any supported iPhone 4 and Android or Nokia smartphones. Another Fring feature that trumps iPhone 4’s native FaceTime is support for the user’s Skype contacts. In other words, while you use Fring’s app you could also add your Skype contacts and hold video calls and instant messaging conversations with them.
Fring is a highly popular VoIP and messaging client. The service had a smartphone application for iPhone which allowed video calls; but because of the absence of a front facing camera, only 1-way video calls could be made. Now that Apple has introduced out its great dual camera system in iPhone 4, Fring quickly worked towards improving their cellphone app.