Skype

Skype updated their iPhone and iPad apps to version 4.1 on Tuesday. The upgrade brings a new photo sharing feature, a few minor bug fixes and minor visual improvements. The photo sharing feature requires that both users are connected to Skype’s instant messaging service to work.

If sharing pictures of food is not your thing, Skype 4.1 is also supposed to improve the app’s battery performance, plus fix a bug related to Bluetooth and calls. Existing users can upgrade to version 4.1 starting today.

Skype has released version 3.0 of its iOS application with full support for 3G video calling to other Skype members. This app will give FaceTime a run for its money, as Apple's video conferencing solution is currently limited to Wi-Fi only.

The Skype app of course supports audio calling for iPhones lacking a front facing camera and Skype text chat. Skype 3.0 is available now on iTunes for free and works on iPhones running iOS version 3.0 and later.

The iPhone news mill was awash Friday with word of a leaked Skype help document that indicated that Skype would soon be bringing video chat capabilities to their iPhone and still-in-development iPad apps. Shortly after word of the document began to spread, Skype kind-of-sort-of pulled the document from their web site.

Finally the Skype update that iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 users have been waiting for. Not only does Skype 2.0.1 make it possible to receive calls at all times, the application allows calls to continue uninterrupted in the background while the iPhone is used for other things. These improvements take advantage of iOS 4 multitasking and make the Skype app much more user friendly.

Skype had announced that calls placed over 3G data networks instead of W-Fi would incur a fee after an introductory period. The company now explains that it has dropped plans to institute a 3G calling charge, keeping Wi-Fi and 3G cellular calling expenses unchanged.

Skype fans can finally rejoice as 3G cellular data calling has been added to the latest Skype iPhone app, version 2.0. The feature has been long-awaited by Skype users. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calling doesn't use up cellular plan minutes, although it does use data bandwidth.

Previously, Skype users were limited to making calls with the iPhone app on a Wi-Fi network. Several other apps have already added 3G VoIP support. Skype 2.0 is currently free of charge, although the company may start charging a monthly fee for 3G calls starting in 2011.