Chicago (IL) - From Pakistani engineering, through Danish organization, with Luxembourg VC cash, and on to world domination. Vopium wants to be the first native VoIP app on your iPhone.

If you were waiting for iPhone 2.0 firmware in anticipation of an Apple-branded VoIP application based on iChat, you would be disappointed. Presently, iPhone users are limited to Web-based VoIP services such as Jajah, IM+ for Skype or Fringe . However, all of them run inside the iPhone's Safari browser and are non-native. In fact, among 900 applications currently available on the App Store, there is not a single native VoIP application.

Up and coming Danish mobile VoIP company, Vopium, European venture backed and founded by Pakistani engineering talent, hopes to change that. The current versions of its application are available for a wide array of handsets and services, although somewhat limited in their international scope. However, the company recently raised over $5 million to help it expand globally. Vopium will be a native iPhone application distributed to users through the App Store. Vopium has been certified as an Apple Enterprise Developer. The company has released a beta version of Vopium that runs inside the iPhone’s Safari browser. However, the company assured TG Daily that the native version, currently in the works, will be "fully integrated with the iPhone."

Vopium existing version offers cheap international VoIP calls to most countries in the world. The service works by re-routing your call as a local call to a Vopium gateway which, in turn, delivers the call anywhere in the world through premium global traffic carriers. All that users are required to do is download free client software for their mobile phone brand and purchase minutes and text messages using their credit card. Cheap international VoIP calls are also possible from a landline, simply by dialing a local Vopium access number.

According to the company, Vopium will enable users to "save 50 to 90% on international calls and SMS messages." The company is giving away 30 minutes and 100 text messages for free to users who wish to try the software and register at Vopium’s home page. Vopium currently works in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Spain but the company is testing the service in beta in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, the US and Canada.

Ummm... TruPhone?

Jul 23, 2008 06:31     

"In fact, among 900 applications currently available on the App Store, there is not a single native VoIP application." Ummmm, are you sure about that? TruPhone is native to the iPhone and is very easy to use. You just topup your account on a webpage. Sound quality is great.
stephen report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

i want my ...

Jul 23, 2008 10:23     

i want my native skype app .. where is that ?!?
andrew report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

TruPhone

Jul 23, 2008 13:02     

I would recommend Christian Zibreg to do some research before writing an article. Truphone has been on the App store for a while already...
friend report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

Jail break...

Jul 23, 2008 14:53     

and you can run skype. Looks like Vopium missed out on being the first VoIP app for the iphone.
Action Jackson report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Voip App for Iphone

Jul 23, 2008 23:51     

I have used truphone and vopium both, I find them of SIMILAR voice quality on iphone, my question is what is the difference? between two.,
Carlo report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Truphone

Jul 24, 2008 13:27     

So let me get this straight. If I have an Iphone and I have truphone installed i will be able to call other iphones with truphone for free. The question is can i use my iphone truphone app to call pc's with truphone? Is there even a truphone app for the pc? If not has someone created something like that, where you can use you iphone to free call a pc programs like skype or sumthing?
James report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

"Fringe"? You mean Fring. And it's not a web based ...

Jul 26, 2008 08:12     

"Fringe"? You mean Fring. And it's not a web based service. It's native, but requires a Jailbroken phone. Also, Truphone is already in the Appstore and has been since it went live. Check your facts!
Trevor report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0