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.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Following up on a rumor earlier today that AT&T would be announcing a new, friendlier policy towards Skype and Google Voice, Skype President Josh Silverman posted on the official Skype blog, saying “Good move, AT&T”:

All of us at Skype applaud today’s announcement by AT&T (in an FCC filing to be published shortly) that it’ll open up its 3G network to Internet calling applications such as Skype. It’s the right step for AT&T, Apple, millions of mobile Skype users and the Internet itself.

Silverman reveals that 10% of all iPhone and iPod touch devices have downloaded the Skype app (which makes roughly 5 million installs, if our math is right), and while they give AT&T the requisite kudos, Silverman states that it’s the government and industry regulation that should ensure open networks — in line with the FCC’s recent move to establish “net neutrality“.

Of course, AT&T announcements and Skype enthusiasm are one thing, let’s see how long it takes to get Skype 3G into the App Store.

(And, of course, that still leaves Google Voice)

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Skype Comments on AT&T Policy Change Allowing VoIP over 3G Network

Seems like Geohot, the original iPhone hacker, was set to announce “one jailbreak to rule them all”, or a simple, clean way to jailbreak all current iPhone and iPod devices, when another hacker team, Chronic, announced the same exploit and plans for a tool of their own, dubbed greenpois0n. Geohot responded on Twitter and his blog that, in light of their disclosing the exploit he felt a) they were taking credit for his work and b) Apple would patch it fast enough that it wasn’t worth doing any more.

Hackers, guys, boobalas: as much as the jailbreak community gives all of you all due respect and admiration, get over each other. You don’t owe anybody anything, not even the 3.1OTB (out the box)-hungry community who’s benefitted greatly from your work over the years, but you don’t need to spite the community over each other either. Apple’s the one you have the cat-and-mouse game with, right?

Just do the awesome Jailbreak voodoo that you do so well.

[via nfrederick on the TiPb Jailbreak Forums]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Dear iHackers — Less Nerdfight, More Jailbreak, Okay?

The Washington Post is rumormongering that AT&T might just officially announce support for Skype and Google Voice on their 3G network at this week’s CTIA show, and that they will run on Apple’s iPhone.

Normally Apple and Apple alone tends to speak about what’s coming to the iPhone, so we’d dismiss this outright except for the fact that Google Voice has been an increasing thorn in Apple’s otherwise incredibly successful iPhone side as of late, especially among industry watchers, tech pundits, and… the FCC. So, getting AT&T to slide it into a CTIA announcement might just let Apple get everyone off their lawn, without having to publicly eat any crow.

AT&T has declined comment, but Smartphone Experts has editor-in-chief Dieter Bohn and fearless CrackBerry.com leader Kevin Michaluk live at CTIA this week, and TiPb has asked them to keep their ears peeled, and fingers at the ready, should anything come of this.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Rumor: AT&T to Announce Support for Skype, Google Voice… on the iPhone?

Update: Telus is official too, here’s their sign-up page for those who want more info.

Bell just went and made it official:

Bell and Apple have reached an agreement to bring iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS to Canada this November.

For US readers, this is sort of like Verizon and Sprint both announcing HSPA networks and iPhone availability in November. Sounds, nifty, doesn’t it?

Canadian readers, what we want to know is will you stick with Rogers/Fido, or give Bell or Telus a whirl?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Updated: Official: Bell Mobility and Telus (Canada) to Launch iPhone in November

Verizon gave AT&T a Cartman-esque Roshambo last night with their new, mockingly phrased “there’s a map for that” TV commercial, an obvious take off of Apple’s “there’s an app for that” at the expense of AT&T’s smaller 3G coverage footprint.

CDMA has the advantage of covering more territory with fewer towers, though it has some drawbacks too — like no simultaneous voice and data using current implementations. However, we’re not sure how funny a commercial would be showing frustrated Verizon users who’s 3G coverage dies every time the phone rings. Then again…

Of course, if Verizon ever gets the iPhone, or the mythical iTablet, we’re guessing they’ll have to pick another AT&T device to make fun of.

Now excuse AT&T if they go jump up and down a few times, we’ve heard that can stop the pain and tears…

[via 9to5mac]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Verizon Roshambos AT&T 3G Coverage with “There’s a Map for That!”

Microsoft today takes the wrappers off their latest generation of mobile software and services, and our good friend George Ponder from sibling site WMExpert.com gives us the details in his complete Windows Mobile 6.5 review. The pre-amble sums things up well from an iPhone point of view:

For some, the launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 may very well be a non-event. But it marks the beginning of a journey for Windows Mobile and a new approach to mobile computing with the Windows Phone.

Rumor has it even Microsoft doesn’t believe WinMo 6.5 is competitive with the iPhone — that’s be next year’s Windows Mobile 7, which even Steve Ballmer thinks is way late to the party. It’s a refresh of a refresh of a refresh. But it does show which direction Microsoft is going, and how the “one OS, multiple handset vendors” strategy is shaping up or them.

Along with Windows Mobile 6.5, Microsoft is also launching Windows Marketplace for Mobile (think App Store) and the previously-in-beta My Phone online service (think Mobile Me, with backups, and also now with “Find my iPhone” er… “Find my Windows Phone” features!).

WMExperts will be live-blogging all the Windows Mobile 6.5 festivities starting at 10am EDT, so head on over there if you want to join in the fun.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

The Competition: Microsoft Unleashes Windows Mobile 6.5, My Phone, and Market Place

Since Adobe can’t get Flash on the iPhone — yet — they figure the next best thing is to let Flash CS5 and ActionScript 3 compile native iPhone apps that can be submitted to the iTunes App Store and run on iPhones and iPod touches everywhere.

In fact, Chroma Circuit, Trading Stuff, Fickleblox, Just Letters, South Park, The Roach Game, and Red Hood — all already on the App Store — we also all already developed using Flash and converted to the iPhone.

Like the earlier announcement from Novell about MonoTouch letting .NET compile iPhone apps, Flash is using the same “ahead of time” compilation instead of “just-in-time” to build the native apps.

Some will say this lowers the barrier of entry for developers to gain access to the App Store. We just hope it doesn’t make it so low they trip over it on their way in.

Again, from our point of view, it’s ultimate not about making things easier for developers, it’s about making things better for end-users. It’s not about us getting more apps, it’s about us getting better ones.

If a bunch of brilliant Flash (or .Net or Java or whatever.runtime) developers suddenly cross over and decide to make brilliant apps for the iPhone, then, yay! However, in our experience the truly brilliant developers are the ones who care so deeply about their apps they edit them down to the last sub-pixel level, and tweak the code until it behaves like it was born to the metal. In other words, those developers likely already picked up Cocoa like it wasn’t no thing.

The other ones, the ones who just want to pump out as many $0.99 CrApps as possible — yeah, we’re worried they’re turning our direction, and we have enough of them already, thanks very much.

Are we overly pessimistic? (Though we’re hardly the only ones). Do you think a lot of great Flash games will suddenly make the jump to the iPhone now? If so, name us your favorites, and let us know!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Adobe CS5 to Allow Flash to Compile iPhone Apps

Apple is on a big, green tear lately, and like another jade-skinned giant, you better not make them angry — because you won’t like them when they’re angry. Case in point, Apple has joined the “we’re resigning from the US Chamber of Commerce” parade. Said Catherine A. Novelli, VP of worldwide government affairs:

"We strongly object to the chamber's recent comments opposing the E.P.A.'s effort to limit greenhouse gases. [...] Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it is frustrating to find the chamber at odds with us in this effort."

Read the full letter [PDF link]

[New York Times via Daring Fireball]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

US Chamber of Commerce — Just Not Green Enough for Apple

Rumor has it Microsoft is on the verge of axing the Pink Project. Come on, you remember those Pure Turtle phones we’ve been hearing about for months? The ones built by the former Danger/Sidekick team that might run Zune software and compete for the hearts and minds of tweens (TM PalmCast) everywhere? Yeah, those. Axed. Finished. Ballmered.

Seems like since their dear leader Andy Rubin left to father Android for Google, things have been on something of a downward spiral:

Amongst remaining employees, dissent is high. Much of the team uses iPhones around the office, or their old Sidekick handsets. Employees "hate the product" internally, many feeling that the division exists only to "challenge [the Windows Mobile 7 team] and upset them into competing." Our source outright indicated that they felt the product was never intended to ship.

Malatesta from WMExperts.com is hearing conflicting stories, so take the above with a FUD-sized grain of salt. Still, even if Pink isn’t dead, given what’s left of the Danger team, the designs we’ve seen leaked so far, and the fact that Windows Mobile needs all the help it can get right now, maybe it ought to be?

[MobileCrunch via WMExperts]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Microsoft Rumored to be Killing Pink, Workers Using iPhones Anyway