February 10, 2008... Will the new iPhone SDK make room for Skype?

Nobody knows officially of course, but the chances of Skype on iPhone in the near future are just about zero. The forthcoming iPhone SDK will require a digital signature of all 3rd party applications. So that rules out 3rd party hackers and unlocked iPhones, and I'm quite sure that AT&T will not allow a competitor onto the platform unless it is compensated handsomely.

So if Skype wants permission to put its software on iPhone, AT&T has to be paid off. Now that raises an interesting question... how much would you be willing to pay for a version of Skype that you could put on your iPhone?

Take me for example. I have an iPhone, but I also have Skype. I pay Skype $60 per year for a combination of SkypePro and a SkypeIN line. It is an excellent deal for me because it serves my home with a complete package of quality telephone services. Unfortunately, I also pay AT&T $60 per MONTH!! ($720 per year) for "cell" service on my iPhone. OUCH!!! I'm paying AT&T twelve times more than Skype and getting less for it.

How long can AT&T and other cell phone carriers charging similar exorbitant rates) get away with this? Answer: ...until there is a competitor to take away their business.

... to be continued in a few days.