As part of its effort to expand beyond desktop computers Skype is planning to launch its service for iPhone users tomorrow and for BlackBerry users in May. Skype users were mostly lured by the promise of cheap and sometimes free calls made using its computer application. There are high hopes for the application's success on iPhone as its expected Skype's most feature-rich mobile offering to appeal to new and existing customers. "The No. 1 request we get from customers is to make Skype available on iPhone. There's a pent-up demand," Skype Chief Operating Officer Scott Durchslag said
These new applications give Skype a chance to boost its mobile phone position, which has been weak compared to that of sites such as Facebook, Myspace or Twitter.
One of Skype's features is subscribers can use to the phone numbers in their existing iPhone address book so they do not need duplicate lists. Also, Skype's iPhone application will be free to download and will allow free calls between Skype users. The company is still considering whether it will offer video for the iPhone in the future. If they are able to do this, Skype will certainly boost its own status in cellphones.
