Two questions about Skype for iPhone
We’ve updated our iPhone app – you can now make video calls.
The Skype offices are buzzing today with feedback on the first version of Skype for iPhone – it’s the number one free download in the UK App Store, and there’s been an incredible amount of discussion about it so far.
It’s been just under 24 hours since it first appeared in the Japanese App Store, and we’re not expecting things to quieten down for a little while yet – we’ll be up all night listening and responding to your comments.
In the meantime, please keep the feedback coming in, but based on the discussion so far, I thought it was worth highlighting answers to two of the most commonly asked questions about Skype for iPhone:
Is Skype for iPhone a true VoIP application? Why can’t you make Skype calls over 3G?
Apple’s rules prohibit third-party voice apps like Skype from using 3G networks. Currently there are no other VoIP applications available for the iPhone that allow VoIP calling over 2G or 3G networks.
At Skype, we’re as frustrated by this as you are. We believe very strongly that your mobile network shouldn’t be able to determine the nature of the data that you send and receive. Whether this is browsing photos on Facebook, exploring Google Maps or making a Skype video call – our view is that the data involved should all be treated the same.
We welcome steps taken by mobile network operators s towards greater openness, and support views such at that held by the European Parliament and policymakers in North America: that network operators should not be able to discriminate between different Internet services, be they third party products such as Facebook, Google Maps or Skype, or their own products or services.
Why does Skype for iPhone crash during installation or launch?
Some of you have reported that Skype crashes during installation or launch. Our initial investigations suggest that this may happen on jailbroken phones, where the underlying iPhone software has been modified. Unfortunately we can’t be held responsible if Skype for iPhone misbehaves in these circumstances.
As always, however, we’re keen to hear your feedback – development of Skype for iPhone doesn’t stop here, and your thoughts and ideas can help us make it even better. Leave a comment below, or head to the iPhone area of the Skype Community to share your views.
For the record, I have a jailbroken iPhone 3G and Skype is running A-OK on it, no crashes (as yet)! And totally agree with you on VoIP… Apple/AT&T needs to stop being greedy and get with the times!
Hi,
Every time I try to ‘buy skype credit’, I keep being tossed into a Taiwanese web site: http://skype.pchome.com.tw/skypetwweb/purchase/service.html. Although Chinese is an interesting language, I don’t read it yet. Worse, the English versions appear to be selling a USB phone and does not offer any way to subscribe to your service. I did succeed in buying one year of “a number” for $60, not the $30 initial offering. Worse, I have yet to find anyone to speak or message with.
It is amusing but not much fun and before I begin seriously complaining, could someone either send me a URL to an English language web site so I can buy the service or refund my $60 and I’ll wait until the service is offered in English?
Thanks,
Bob Wilson
256-961-9391 (work, USA)
Just noticed that Skype is not yet available in the Canadian Appstore – anyone know when this will happen?
Thanks – Brady
My iPhone is not jailbroken and has never been so. However Skype for iPhone crashes every time I select one specific contact on the list and this doesn’t change wheather the contact is online, offline or away. I can provide you with details if you want. Contact me here http://mailhide.recaptcha.net/d?k=01F-rWcArsHGfoHL_LSfdXHw==&c=VpCfti87lIqT3E7bV9YZfcT4JThqt9nYWBeocIx3_aA=
I’m having the same problem as bwilson4web. Can’t sign up for an account, keep getting sent to Taiwan.
I’ve had absolutely no problems using Skype and I’m starting to think that my patience of not “jailbreaking” my phone has paid off.
Thank you Skype for a great product! I LOVE SKYPE!
Same problem for me as khashayar is having – one specific contact – select it, and it never tries to go to the next screen (where I can select chat, call, etc). Just crashes back to the iPhone home screen. Here’s the kicker – I’ve installed so much 3rd party software (NON-jailbroken iPhone, btw), I figured it was time to clean house. I did a COMPLETE wipe/reset of the phone – yes, the whole “this will take 2 hours to complete” thing. After that, reinstalled Skype, and the contact was fine! Yay! For 12 hours – then it happened again – WITH THE SAME CONTACT!
(Note – his personal Skype icon (one of the standard ones) didn’t appear for a while, and it worked fine – then I said “Hey, his icon is there now” – clicked him – and it crashed).
Hope this helps – very frustrating – and no – uninstall/reinstall does not fix, restarts and all.
Your responsibilty towards application quality really sucks. You might be escaping by giving lame excuses on jailbroken iphones but that doesnt solves your customers problem.
Hi, i have iPhone 2g with JB now skype works fine with MobileSubstrate! but there are 2 things .. one about background Apple cant stay there to see what happen because dont want app works in background… the background of skype it’s necessary!!! it’s important first! with app backgrouder (cydia) is not the same. when iPhone put sleep you are offline. and if u stay in home and someone send u a mess you can see nothing, like mail that u have a red ball that says that u have an email… second what about send / received files???? i tried to send me one picture from another account .. but nothimg..
Another thing. when i buy iPhone 2g there firmware 1.1.4 and i make a JB! later appear fring. did u konw that first version of fring with iPhone 2g and firmw 1.1.4 working in backgroud? yes it’s so, really. for example if i starded skype service then i come out for see mail, and someone send me a mess fring make a little sound and one red ball appear! the same if iphone was in sleep! then i put firmware 2.2 and 2.2.1 with fring but nothing now dont working. I cant understand …
Another thing. when i buy iPhone 2g there firmware 1.1.4 and i make a JB! later appear fring. did u konw that first version of fring with iPhone 2g and firmw 1.1.4 working in backgroud? yes it’s so, really. for example if i starded skype service then i come out for see mail, and someone send me a mess fring make a little sound and one red ball appear! the same if iphone was in sleep! then i put firmware 2.2 and 2.2.1 with fring but nothing now dont working. I cant understand … and working with wi-fi enabled and/or with EDGE enabled!!!!
Just a bit of info..
If you load a program called backgrounder available through Cydia you can set Skype to run in the background and receive calls all the time.
Unfortunately I’m a 2G phone so can only get this near a wifi point but 3G should be able to use this all the time.
All you to do is get a skype account online. Pay 2.99 a month get your self a phone number and it all loads right on your skype iphone automatically when you log in. So far the voice mails do not show up on it though.
2.99 a month for unlimited is very cool.
Hi!
I have a bunch of question on the skype for Iphone theme…
-Where do I buy the application and how much does it cost?
-Will I be able to use all its functions (chat/skype calls/..) on the ipod touch also, or only on the iphone?
-Are the skype to skype calls free or is there a fee to pay?
I have read some controversial infos about this application, and I want to make sure that it really works and that it won’t be a disappointment!
Thanks for the precious help!
Fra*
dear pettalskype,
thanks! i use backgrounder enable and skype enabled! but it’s not the same! i told u when iPhone sleep you are out in offline!
…
Dear smgcma,
i’m italian but now i live in romanian from 5 years! so if you check the skype offers romaian is not include!
Hi
I have a jailbreaken iphone 3g an after a minute of skype is launched, it shuts down…
frustrating, but baybe is the price to pay for have jailbroken the phone
I have a wifi network here at home that is robust. I am also on the edge of a 3G environment which swings back and forward in and out of 3G service. I have yet to get Skype to work. It “looks” like it’s working but I can not hear any rings or the party I have called. I am told that I can be heard. ????
Please add support for “pause” characters in Skype contacts, you can enter them, but after saving they are all removed and you wind up with a invalid number. The support should also apply to contacts imported from the iphone address book, today they are just dropped.
i have a normal 3g iphone, not jailbroken whatever that means, installed skype okay, but one contact crashes the program everytime. a bit inconvenient since the contact it rejects is the skype phone at home which is the one i call most when overseas. i’ve seen on various forums that I am not alone with this problem, but so far mo one has come up with a reason or a fix, so i guess the skype for iphone is pretty much useless for me at least until this bug is fixed…
Same issue as khashayar and crystalndan and yes, it is ONE specific contact. And I’m running Skype on a second gen “pristine” IPOD Touch.
I have the same problem as some users above. Skype crashes with one specific contact only. If that person is online or not does not matter. As soon as I tap the contact the program crashes and I return to the homescreen. For the record, my iphone has not been unbricked or jailbroken. It is however officially unlocked by Apple.
@joeribt our engineers are aware of a problem which sounds like what you describe, and are working to fix it in a future release – thanks for the feedback, and sorry for the irritation in the meantime.
@cutevelociraptor it’s free to download, all functionality works on the iPod touch as well as the iPhone, and Skype-to-Skype calls are completely free
I have the same problem described by some users above (joeribt, wa1vjh, antonwoodward etc): Skype crahes when selecting a specific user only! Hope it will be fixed soon.
Another annoying thing: when calling someone, the sound of the ring tone is played through the iPhone external speaker; when the call starts, the sound switches back to “normal”. The ring tone in the external speaker is kind of disturbing the people next to you…
The first version of the iphone skype is very buggy. I was all excited to download app, set up my Skype credit and charge my iphone last night. I tested it out with a friend in France this morning. It crashes every 10 seconds, or the call quality is breaking up all the time. I have to change it back to my laptop to continue the call.
hope we get an update soon.
Mobile substream package at cydia just solved Skype Crash problem on jailbreaken iphone. tks
I have an “unmimited calls to landlines” package that I pay like $3/month for. It works fine from my computer but when I try to make calls to landlines from my iphone 3G it says I need to buy credit! What gives?
Any info on this?
THX!
@zakr819 Thanks for the heads-up – I’ll investigate.
@peterparks Am not sure what the new update changed, but unfortunately it has not stopped Skype from crashing.
What do I need to do to use skype on 3g? After reading other entries, it appears it may be possible with another application. Any assistance would be appreciated! MichelleAnderson@IIVNUSA.com. Thank you!
@peterparks problem w/crashing still exists. Loaded new version of Skype for the iPhonbe over the weekend and crashes back to the home screen when clicking on a contact.
Hey! same problem as others: crashes only with one particular contact. I installed backgrounder and it works perfect. iPhone can be at sleep or running any other app, as soon as somebody calls, it starts ringing. Only thing is that you need to go to Skype manually to take the call.
On the crash issue, I’ve asked the contact to remove his mood message (containing some ¡¡¡), his picture, everything… Doesn’t work. Removing and readding the contact didn’t work either. I can’t even add the contact again, as it crashes when I select him on the Skype Directory (first time I added him from the PC’s Skype, where everything works fine). Even stranger: at some point I removed him from my contacts in the iPhone, he did the same and added me back. He was not in my contacts, and I could see no message from him asking for authorisation, but he called me and it worked! Also, he sent me a chat, and by clicking it, and then options, I’m given the option to call him. And this works!
Conclusions: whenever I open his profile (by clicking him in the Contacts, or selecting him from Skype’s directory), it crashes. Now, if he calls me or I go through the Chat->Options->call, it works fine. My feeling is that iPhone Skype is sensible to some items/characters in the profile (picture, mood, address,…). In my case, the contact had some ¡¡¡, but removed them and didn’t solve the issue. He also has some ñ, but other contacts also do and work fine. Picture: he removed it and still didn’t work. So I didn’t find out what is there in his profile that makes it crash.
I hope you can solve this issue, ’cause I need to call this guy all the time (thanks Murphy).
SMS Trouble…
Just downloaded Skype and thought I could send SMS messages… Can I not? If I can, my trouble is that my contact that I want to message only has the option to call. Thanks for any help!
I also have the same issue. In the app store description it says that we can send sms messages. Will this be available soon?
Now
“I have an “unmimited calls to landlines” package that I pay like $3/month for. It works fine from my computer but when I try to make calls to landlines from my iphone 3G it says I need to buy credit! What gives?
Any info on this?
THX!”
Im having the same issue. I have an unlimited plan and the iphone app says I need credit???
@synergynaturalwellness are you running the latest version of Skype for iPhone?
I have a brand new 2nd gen ipod touch with software version 3 and have just downloaded the skype app. The app opens but requests that I create an account but won’t let me sign in with my existng skype account. Any ideas please?
Please release on ITunes Canada too.
@andrew.casemore what happens when you try?
I have Skype on my iPhone but I want to be able to receive calls as I’m offline skype or standby. Are you guys making a new update that has that? PLEASEEEEEEEEE Thats really needed. Thank you
I downloaded skype for my iphone, and never opened it because i didnt have any skype credit. today, i downloaded the new firmware (3.1) and upon trying to open skype, it flashes the home screen and then crashes. my iphone isn’t jailbroken, nor has it ever been, and im hoping to get this running soon!
Thanks
Similar issue on my side (as Jamie). Skype doesn’t work with the new firmware (3.1). I have a fresh restore with 3.1 working and the most up-to-date version of Skype. Skype shows the home screen, attempts to log in and then crashes. 100% of cases.
Cheers,
-Lech
Same thing here.. iPhone 3GS non-JB – uninstall/restart/reinstall/reboot didn’t fix it, clearing the chat history didn’t fix it – Skype was just crashing out after sign-in. I changed my phone region setting to English language (from Polish) and now Skype loads. Please fix the bugs, this sort of poor quality control – alongside pooh-pooing customer complaints and implying they all tampered with their iphone – has a serious chance of damaging the way people perceive the Skype brand
@rybyk1
Thanks! Changing to English also solved the problem for me. Also my iPhone is not jailbroken. I have iPhone OS 3.1 (it was also crashing withe previous version of the OS) and the latest version of Skype. It kept crashing immediately after signing. If I started the app with the auto-login off it went okay till the login screen. After logging in it would crash again. Uninstall and reinstall also did not solve it. Restarting the iPhone was also not a solution. Deleting the chat history also did not change a thing. Signing in to Skype on a pc was not a problem. Changing the language from Dutch to English is the only solution. Hopefully there will be soon an update for the app fixing the problem.
on my new iPhone 3.01, it works find under English language but crashs under Chinese language.
Serious problem here. Skype worked fine with my old iPhone 3G (got it in July 2008). It never was jail-broken, unlocked or anything else – I do not need it. I always used it with the iTunes as is.
Due to technical issues I have replaced it with a brand new one iPhone 3G manufactured in August 2009. Now Skype crashes as soon as I try to log in no matter what – with dual English and Russian keyboard or just English one, with 3.0, 3.01 or 3.1 firmware. Everything else works fine (I still regret updating from 2.2.1 firmware though, it was the best). This iPhone also has never been jail-broken, unlocked or anything else – it is a brand new device, now with iTunes 9 and 3.1 firmware.
Skype was one of the most expected application for my iPhone and I really miss it.
It looks that Skype engineers / programmers do not know what they do, or another possibility that Skype application was hiddenly banned by Apple – like they did with Google Voice.
Can anyone enlighten us what is going on?
@alexhardware
Did you change the keyboard settings or the language of the iPhone? Changing the language to English worked for me.
anyone have a solution to whenever i get a text or a real phone call when i’m on skype the program hangs up on the person i’m talking too.
Any ideas??
if so please email detholm@comcast.net thanks alot!
i have jail broken 3gs and living in Europe of the year and skype is my savior!
My iPhone Skype app crashes when I open my account, but I tried signing in with my partner’s account and it did not crash. I made a few calls from his account, both on skype accounts and cell phones and it worked. So perhaps it is a matter of accounts or user name. You may want to try opening skype as a different user and changing your accunt if that works.