Native combined Skype/instant message client for iPhone debuts

Though the official iPhone AppStore is only months away, developers are still delivering some incredible native applications built under the unofficial "jailbreak" umbrella. The latest is "fring," an application that lets users make voice calls with Skype or SIP. It also has a built-in instant messaging component for conversing over Yahoo!, AIM, MSN Messenger and Google Talk and ICQ.

Gil Regev, Online Marketing Coordinator for fring, told iPhone Atlas "During this R&D period, we?ll be listening to feedback, so we can fine tune the final version and create a truly kicking user experience for iPhone users, so your feedback (in case you have an iPhone) is really  important from us."

Regev's comments bring up an interesting point: some developers are now using the jailbreak community as a free beta test-bed for applications that are planned for distribution through the official AppStore. Though there are minor framework differences between the unofficial toolchain and Apple's own, most applications are easily ported to the official scheme.

In order to use fring, see our guide for putting third-party applications on the iPhone, then use Installer.app to add the fring source (instructions here).

Below is a video demonstration of fring in action (Click here to view it if you're on an iPhone right now).

Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.