Maxine had mentioned Fring earlier… now, Fring has been released officially:
fring™ officially launched its free, mVoIP (mobile VoIP) service for S60 devices. Developed by Nokia, S60 is the world’s leading smartphone software, as Nokia alone has shipped cumulatively over 84 million S60 based devices by the end of 2006.
fring is a light downloadable mobile phone application enabling anyone with a compatible handset to make free calls and text messages or “chat” to other fring users in addition to Skype, Google Talk and MSN contacts. Used in more than 140 countries only three months after launch, fring is now available for S60 devices via download from www.fring.com. S60 offers mobile users an easy-to-use and intuitive user interface, a good inter-working application suite, and a rich application-development environment.
fring uses 3G mobile networks to transmit VoIP data; fringsters simply use the data within their existing subscription agreement. The service can also connect over Wi-Fi at home, in the office or at the many “hot spot” cafes; these calls consume neither voice nor data air time.
“Millions of users around the world can now enjoy mobile Voice over IP benefits like chat, ”Presence” or real-time contact availability, cost savings, and more,” commented Boaz Zilberman, fring co-founder and Chief Architect. “fring is a break for freedom for users who demand real mobile independence and who want to leverage the power and freedom of the Internet from their mobile phones, roaming freely between wireless network operators (GPRS, 3G, Wi-Fi) and enjoying the benefits of multiple IM providers (Skype, Google Talk and MSN Messenger).”
“Nokia is pleased to see such innovative applications as fring being developed and deployed on our devices based on S60 and Symbian OS,“ said Sanfrid Lindblom, business development manager, Forum Nokia, Nokia’s global software developer program. “fring enables end users to further enhance the value they derive from having access to the Internet with them wherever they go.”
[source: BusinessWire]
Nokia is pleased to see such innovative applications as fring being developed and deployed on our devices based on S60 and Symbian OS…
I can understand that. As it becomes a standard requirement for products to be highly customizable, Symbian offers a lot to its customers. And with its large huge market share, Nokia can afford to use third party add-ons like this, for additional promotion of its own product.
I think one of the reasons that Nokia keeps on growing like this, is that it understands the power of communities, both social and business wise. And allowing other parties to live with Nokia in synergy is a great way of expressing this. I pay respect to that!
update: Nice little review of fring over at S60tips
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