Is the recently announced Skype/Verizon deal delaying the release of Skype over 3G for the iPhone? Previously AT&T announced they would change their policy and allow VoIP over 3G, Apple announced they would change their SDK agreement to allow it, and Skype announced they would provide it to their iPhone users. AT&T has come through, Apple has come through, other VoIP clients have begun offering 3G. And Skype…? They said they were waiting to make sure Apple was okay with it. They made sure. They said they were waiting to improve 3G call quality. And…? Still nothing.

They did, however, announce a deal for Skype over 3G with Verizon at Mobile World Congress a couple weeks ago. Since then, WMExperts tell us the Windows Mobile Skype app is no longer available for download. According to Venture Beat (via BGR) their Symbian Skype App has now been pulled from the Ovi Store. When asked why Skype was removed from the Ovi Store, Venture Beat was told:

Skype has made a decision in the United States to not promote the Skype for Symbian app through the Ovi Store. We did this so that we could drive more attention to the recently announced Skype and Verizon Wireless agreement. This was a marketing decision — plain and simple

The iPhone Skype app [Free - iTunes link] is still in the App Store (after a short hiccup) but it’s still Wi-Fi only. When asked for comment after the Verizon agreement, a Skype rep would only tell TiPb that there was no further updates since last time.

So, is it just taking longer than we expected to get that really great 3G voice quality out for Skype? Or has the Verizon deal sucked all the attention out of the room? 9to5Mac thought so a couple weeks ago, do the Windows Mobile and Symbian actions now lend credence to that theory? And are you still waiting for Skype over 3G for iPhone, or have you started using alternatives? Let us know!

Is Skype/Verizon Deal Delaying Skype Over 3G for iPhone? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

iPhone developer extraordinaire Erica Sadun has been running a great series of “iPhone Dev Sugar” posts over on TUAW:

• Should you be building universal apps for App Store?
• Create shiny buttons easily
• Simulating device events with iSimulate
• Re-signing applications - Installing the 3.2 SDK alongside the 3.1.1 SDK
• Three lessons from the iPhone (big fingers, attention spans, fast launches)
• Letting go of iPhone visual design patterns
• Simple table badges
• Improved Network Reachability routines
• SwapKit

For anyone interested in the nuts and bolts — and subtleties — of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch development, they’re definitely worth a look. Check them out, and if you have any ninja-level tips of your own to share, don’t be shy!

TUAW’s Erica Sadun Shares SDK Sugar with iPhone Devs is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

9to5Mac has the full, header’ed exchange between a Swede who emailed Steve Jobs about iPad tethering, and the answer he received from Apple’s CEO.

First, the question from Jezper Söderlund:

Will the wifi-only version [of the iPad] somehow support tethering thru my iPhone?

And the answer?

No.

Sent from my iPhone

[Slashhat.se via 9to5Mac]

Will the iPad Support Tethering? Steve Jobs Answers! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog