Skype for iPhone will run in the background with iPhone OS 4
We’ve updated our iPhone app – you can now make video calls.
Update: Skype for iPhone update for iOS 4 coming soon.
Skype’s David Ponsford has just left the stage at Apple’s developer event, where he demoed a version of Skype for iPhone running in the background.
What does this mean? Previously, when you navigated away from Skype, it would quit and you’d be offline – unable to receive chats or calls. With iPhone OS 4, when you leave the Skype app, it’ll still be there in the background.
Skype on iPhone running in the background – image courtesy of Gizmodo.
Whether you switch to another app or just put the phone in your pocket, Skype will be able to receive calls. When a call comes in, you’ll see a notification on the screen, and you’ll be able to pick it up with a single tap.
With iPhone OS 4, we hope Skype will become a whole lot more convenient for all of you who use it. iPhone OS 4 will be coming to your phone this summer, so stay tuned for more details nearer the time 
So looks like the secrecy and delay of the Skype 3G app version was due to Apple’s secrecy policies? Just glad we can finally put the Verizon exclusivity rumors to rest now.
Still hoping we don’t have to wait till summer to get 3G support though.
This has always been possible on Window Mobile. However, the catch is that Skype quickly drains the battery while running in the background. How much power does Skype consume on the iPhone?
@dizzy13 We have a great relationship with Verizon Wireless. We’re working together to develop great apps for people across the US. The iPhone app you see in this demo is simply an example of the innovation possible on the iPhone platform.
@the_don_reba Battery impact should be minimal – Apple’s developed the platform to work that way.
Are you going to be running a beta program for the new Skype client for dev’s with iPhone OS 4? Very interested here!
@peterparkes With the new multi-tasking receiving calls on Skype on the iPhone is going to be bigger than ever. What about voice over 3G for iPhone? Is it coming before/same time/after iPhone OS 4.0 or never?
Now this is worth the wait!
One question… this is going to be TRUE Skype right? Not what you guys are doing with Verizon where it’s unlimited Skype to Skype but SkypeOut uses plan minutes.
Correct??
iphone os is okay but much more important is what about a free blackberry client? I dont get it at all…
This is an awesome enhancement and the right thing to do. I’ll now be able to accept incoming calls whenever my device is turned on. Does this affect the release of Skype with 3G support?
When will the Skype app be able to run over 3G on AT&T. I still receive the message that it is not able to utilize the 3G network for calls as it is under contractual restrictions.
I’m also interested in any beta programs if you need another tester.
@dizzy13 @christopher_n_graham @carlhancock757 the only new thing in this app is the background capability. it still works only over wifi.
This is great news. However, I would like to know if we will be also getting an update to let us call Skype over 3g? This would be fantastic if we had 3g access as well as being able to have it run in the background
+1 for when will we be able to use Skype over 3G? This isn’t even on AT&T. (My Dutch provider has never had a problem with carrying VOIP over 3G…)
Congratulations for new amazing iPhone app.
But i´m still waiting for an Android App outside USA.
@carlhancock757 the iPhone app uses the data network rather than the voice network. Our apps for Verizon use your minutes only when calling numbers in the US. Hope that clears things up!
Very vague by Skype–no surprise there. He should have answered the following question: Will Skype run on 3G or not–even in a multi-task environment?” My guess is that either way (with or without Skype running in the background) users will still be required to connect to a wifi hotspot to make/receive Skype calls. Why would I want Skype to be minimized in the background–to receive IM? No different than someone sending me an SMS/Txt/MMS message now. At least I don’t have Skype draining my battery while it sits in the background doing nothing useful. What a joke.
Sounds great! But since the multitasking features will only be available on the iPhone 3GS and not the iPhone 3G, how will the new Skype for iPhone affect us iPhone 3G users?
http://share.skype.c…for_iphone.html
This is where PETER PARKES and DAVID PONSFORD said Skype would work over 3G.
SKYPE DELETED THE THREAD!!!!
SO PETER – CARE TO ANSWER NOW? WILL WE BE ABLE TO MAKE CALLS OVER 3G??
SILENCE? ARE YOU STILL GOING TO IGNORE THE 30 TIMES YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED THIS???
@peterparkes Thanks for the reply. Is it possible for you to answer the big 3G question? I know it’s hard to set an exact release date when working on software, but maybe just say “Yes, we are still working on bringing 3G Skype to the iPhone”? Is Skype planning on waiting till Summer to release 3G + Push (incoming call) + Background in one big update?
I think if you answered the questions a little be more direct it would make a lot of people tone down their complaints, I know it would for me.
Ditto the question about beta testing. I’ve installed the OS4 technology preview, but the current version of Skype (1.3.x) of course doesn’t support multitasking. I would like to try out the new version if possible.
Also, it seems that skype, even if left in the foreground lets the iPod touch turn off the wifi when the screen is locked, effectively rendering it useless for incoming calls. Some of the other apps keep the wifi on – am I missing something?
noah, have you tried playing with the Ignore Auto-Lock setting? When manually locking the device instead, wifi may stay alive. YMMV though, it seems that the behavior still is a bit random. An iPhone will keep the cellular connection up pretty well that way at least.
Running in the background is great for iPhone 3GS or iPad users, but what about users of the original iPhone 2G or 3G? Where’s the push notifications? I don’t actually care if Skype runs in the background or is closed, I just want notice when I get a new message / call. Unfortunately, like the majority of iPhone users, this update does nothing for me.
No VOIP over 3G = FAIL
Skype not being honest with public = UBER FAIL.
Deleting my last comment = PATHETIC FAIL.
My understanding is that voice over 3G would come when the Apple SDK supports it. Any chance that this would come when/if Apple releases OS 3.2 before the summer?
taiji_21,
The apple SDK 3.2 was released at the beginning of the year. Other VoIP and Skype-compatible apps have had 3G calling since January. Skype’s lack of support for 3G calling has had nothing to do with Apple for quite a while now, which is the cause of most of the customer frustration surrounding it. Their claim that they had a 3G capable client prior to the SDK change, and that they were only waiting on Apple’s support to release it is the other main cause of customer frustration.
Give. Us. 3G.
Please sign me up for beta testing of Skype for iPhone OS 4.0! – have 4.0 running, but as stated above, the present version of Skype does not play nice with multitasking…
Supercool. And where is Skype for Blackberry (w/o Verizon)?
I think its disturbing that Skype enters into an agreement with Verizon to charge gsm minutes on Skype calls, aren’t Verizon customers paying for the data plan already? I don’t think the customer benefits in this case.
Its no surprise that Skype has not released the 3g app for the iPhone yet, how can they? After this deal with Verizon the other telecoms are going to want something similar or better. I am not a lawyer but this raises questions about net neutrality. Think about this, if Verizon, essentially an ISP in this case, is getting paid to allow Skype to use their network then what about the other internet providers? Even the fixed broadband providers, how are they different? Is Comcast getting paid when people use their broadband to make Skype calls?
When it comes to the iPhone Skype has backed itself into a corner, AT&T is not the only Telecom using the iPhone, are they going to sell minutes for all the telecoms that are using the iPhone around the world? I’m not so sure Apple will go for that. Skype is a VOIP provider, Verizon in this case is an ISP selling data, the two do not mix, one sells broadband, the other VOIP. Its a conflict of interest for the customers to have them with such a “great relationship.” The technology is here, we should be buying internet access from one and voice service from the other, any other way feels like we are being cheated. So, what about Vonage and other VOIP providers, can they make their apps available on Verizon phones? I don’t think so.
I knew the that the telecoms wouldn’t go quietly into the night allowing VOIP communicators working on their data networks. I was just surprised to see that Skype would play ball with them, Skype had the home field advantage, they should have put the 3g app working on the iPhone first, and then Verizon would beg to have Skype available on their network so they could also increase their data sales and cope with decreasing minutes sales. Do you think GSM will still be with us in 5 years? The future of phone numbers, area codes, country codes, is very limited, soon all you’ll get with your SIM card is a user name to access the net.
Its going to be interesting to see how this works out. For now, until net neutrality is restored, I will stick to my iPod touch and my unlocked N900, them two together make a pretty good iPhone. Cheers!
SKYPE for the IPHONE and 3G WHEN? No lies, no broken promises, the truth! What are you afraid of? We have all be patient. We have believed in your product and services even when the competition out shone you. We deserve the truth.
Dear Mr. Silverman
I wanted to post this blog and tell you about my personal experience with your customer service department. I spoke with Rita. On April 17, of this year my skype credit was almost $10 USD. I have had an unlimited account with your company for 1 year and have been satisfied with my service. I purchased that credit on February 9, 2010 and at that time I also went under my payment options and changed my credit card information.
On Feb 14 of this year skype tried to run an automatic renewal charge and it failed. I found out today (by my own research Rita was no help at all) that skype tried to renew my acct with my old credit card information which had since been closed.
Today I went online and renewed my unlimited plan manually because my phone quit working and i could not make a call.
The reason I IM’ed customer service was to find out why my renewal didnt go thru and also to get a credit for the $10 that your company had been using up in my acct thru per minute charges. Rita kindly told me that she was not authorized to fix the incorrect charges on my acct even though Skype tried to authorize the charges on the wrong card. She was more than happy to cancel my account all together though and refund the brand new unlimited plan i just paid for.
Mr. Silverman here is my question. Why would you lose a paying customer over a $10 charge that was your companies error, Instead of just fixing it and apologizing? I was so frustrated by your customer service that i agreed with her and let her close my account. She happily refunded the $35 yearly subscription but refused to fix the $10 billing error.
Mr. Silverman I was satisfied with your technical service so much so that I cancelled my unlimited long distance on my home phone and was using your service exclusively on my I-phone. Mr. Silverman you need to give your customer support agents more authority to fix your companies billing issues and keep the good paying customer you have. This was my first call to your customer support and unfortunately it will probably be my last. I want to give my money to a company who actually treats its customers who have issues with as much respect and ease as the ones it just signed up.
Respectfully
matt_wagoner@hotmail.com
Ditto about beta testing. I have iPhone 4.0b2 installed on my device and would be happy to test the latest version (hopefully with multitasking). Thanks!
Developers cannot submit an app that has been compiled with the 4.0 SDK as it’s still beta (obviously). So we wont get Skype Multitasking until iPhone OS 4 has been officially released.
Seriously, I love Skype, but you guys (at skype) are seriously limiting yourselves on the Android front, WHY only verizon and WHY the absolutely crippled app. You guys need to get your act together or you WILL lose out to competition. I’m sure you guys don’t like the place you are in, being pushed around by AT&T and Verizon, why not just release a fully functional Android app like on the iPhone and see what the market response is. NO ONE is buying your reasons for not doing a proper app using the data network.
I love skype. I only want more of it especially on the android platform. Even more now that there are front facing cameras.
Well, iPhone OS 4.0 multi-tasking got Skype off the hook for not provided “Push” notifications, but they are still not be honest with their iPhone customers about when, and “if” it will be functional on AT&T 3G. Exclusivity deal with Verizon? Come clean Skye. Honesty and communications is the best form of customer service. You have shown neither.
You can already make and receive skype calls on the iphone over 3G without skype running by using Fring (free to download) – I am on Vodafone UK and skype cannot make or receive calls on 3G but it works if I access my askype account via fring.
I m reading all about the new skype , and all I can say that with my jailbraked iPhone I already run skype over 3g and with another little tool called backgrounder I can run any app included skype in background, so where is the big news ? Viva cydia!
Big. Freakin’. Deal.
iPhone users who have JAILBROKEN their phones have had back-grounding capability since OS 3.0, via BackGrounder, Kirikae, and to a lesser extent, LastApp. It works *flawlessly*. I run Skype in the background RIGHT NOW – so what’s with “waiting for OS 4?” LOL
Of course, opening Skype on your iPhone, it says that “…this version of Skype only works on non-modified iPhones” – yet it runs perfectly fine on my jailbroken iPhone running OS 3.1.2.
Not to mention, there are at least THREE apps that watch for any applications that checks to see if the app looks to see if it’s on WiFi or 3G, and the user can then set it to “trick” the app to think that it’s ALWAYS on WiFi, even when it’s on 3G.
Suck on that, Apple, AT&T, and Skype.
This sure is nice but I don’t really care – I have set it to transfer my calls to my mobile, so… Already works for me (yeah I pay for it but what the heck, doesn’t matter, I only pick up those that matter anyways).
wowowowo, finally, am really glad skype will be working on i phone 4, that was the only thing stopping me to buy one, will reserve one shortly, am an optimum use of both, and am really please with the news, have started cutting on the usual stuff. need to save.
so where is the update for ios4 it is june 20th?
pardon me it is june 21st no update
When will multitasking with iPhone OS 4.0 be available? As far as I understand, Skype appears in the multitasking bar, but I get signed out as soon as I hit the home button. I am currently on the OS 4.0
Same here, running iOS 4, Skype runs in multitasking bar but I get signed out when hitting the home button.
Same issue .. but I think that our friends from Skype are doing a hard work to release a real multitasking version …
Is there a beta for testing?
Good luck
what skype needs is the ability to start conference calls without having someone else do it!
is face time talking going to work with skype on the iphone 4?
I can’t speak to the success of the iphone 4, owning a 3GS myself, but whatever claims Skype has made about multitasking on the 3GS is absolutely untrue. I can get multitasking to work with most apps (mail, internet, pandora/ipod, etc), but Skype signs me out every single time I hit the home button, even though it says that it’s running, and still shows up in the multitasking bar. I really need Skype to work at all times on my iphone. It’s pretty important. When will this issue be fixed?
Also, not allowing people to set up conference calls from their phones is completely ridiculous. Yes, a person using a computer can do it, but what if two people using phones want to set up a conference call? Absurd. I have no idea why this functionality has not been implemented. The Skype iphone app is terrible, which is a huge shame, because Skype is an amazing service (when I’m at my computer). Unfortunately, there are times when I have to walk away from my computer and enter the real world.
So on the iPhone 4.0, when the application sits in the background and there is no wireless connection, is it eating precious kilobytes? if so, approximately how much?
since data is not unlimited anymore, we have to think about these things..
thanks!
Hey
Yeahhh i cant believe Skype is sooooo slow. OS4 has been out for a while now AND they have known about it long before that.
Its a CRUCIAL update to skype, its useless without the ability to run in the background. It seems somewht unproffesional not to have such a version ready at launch of OS4. I for one will look for another alternatives, even though I am a longtime skype user. Seems the folks at Skype needs to realize that the world isnt static.