Fring and Skype go to war over iPhone app

July 17th, 2010, 22:28 Posted By: wraggster

VoIP firms Fring and Skype have gone to war over the former's iPhone app, which was updated last week to add 3G video-calling.
The app allowed people to connect with their Skype friends, but the feature was quickly disabled.
Earlier today, Fring issued a press release claiming that it was being "forced to stop its 4 years of Skype interconnectivity following threat of legal action", and that "Skype is refusing to allow Fring to restore connectivity to Skype".
The company followed up with a blog post: "Now that fring expanded capacity to support the huge demand for video calling for all users, Skype has blocked us from doing so. They are afraid of open mobile communication. Cowards."
Strong words, but Skype quickly retaliated with its own blog post, categorically refuting the claim as untrue.

"Fring was using Skype software in a way it wasn’t designed to be used – and in a way which is in breach of Skype’s API Terms of Use and End User License Agreement," blogs Skype's Robert Millar.
"We’ve been talking with Fring for some time to try to resolve this amicably. However, over time, Fring’s mis-use of our software was increasingly damaging our brand and reputation with our customers."
Millar hints that Skype did threaten legal action over this - "those developers that do not comply with our terms will be subject to legal enforcement" - but says that "there is no truth to Fring's claims that Skype has blocked it. Fring made the decision to remove Skype functionality on its own."
For now, Fring's connectivity with Skype is gone, and judging by the ill-tempered exchange, won't be returning any time soon.

http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/37803...ver-iPhone-app

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