before 3.0 with the notification system or some other way to keep applications running in the background, this, like all the other IM applications on the iPhone/touch, won't be of practical use.<p>Talking in Skype and recieving a traditional phone call? Skype call drops. Skype quits.<p>Talking in Skype while surfing the web. Nope. It's either Safari or Skype.<p>Tapping on a link in a Skype chat? Sure, but you'll go offline doing that (Skype closes before Safari opens).<p>Waiting for a call at a scheduled time? Sure, but don't think about browsing the web or even just browsing your music library to play something as all these actions will quit Skype.<p>Nah. IM and even more so VoIP are totally unpractical on the iPhone.<p>3.0 will bring some alleviation with the background notification service as you'll at least know when someone tries to call you, but it's still nowhere near usable. At least for me.<p>And that's this "changes the game"? There are already a bunch of - even Skype compatible - VoIP applications out there for the iPhone. They just didn't take off due to the reasons stated above.
I can't tell you how long I have been waiting for Skype to release this; it hasn't appeared in the shop for me yet, hopefully they don't do weird carrier releases and the UK gets screwed again--this could of course be an April Fools.
I just ordered an iPod Touch last week (Should be here today). Just in time! (I was planning on using a third party Skype application and jail breaking my touch- I might still jail break it :)