Internet calling company Skype plans to launch its service for iPhone users on Tuesday and for BlackBerry in May as part of its effort to expand beyond desktop computers.
Skype, the Internet telephone unit of eBay, has been pushing to make its service work on the most popular advanced phones with an aim to expending its more than 400 million users who were mostly lured by the promise of cheap and sometimes free calls made using its computer application.
"The No. 1 request we get from customers is to make Skype available on iPhone. There's a pent-up demand," said Scott Durchslag, Chief Operating Officer of Skype.
In May it will launch Skype for Research In Motion's BlackBerry devices. It has already announced Skype for Nokia phones and for phones based on Android, Google's mobile operating system, and Windows Mobile, from Microsoft.
Skype's iPhone application will be free to download and will allow free calls between Skype users. As with Skype on the desktop, fees will be charged for calls to traditional phones.
The service will also work on later versions of Apple's latest iPod Touch device, which has Wi-Fi links but no cellular connection. The iPod Touch launched September 2008 has a microphone, unlike the first iPod Touch launched in 2007.
While Skype video is very popular with desktop customers, Durchslag said that the company is still considering whether it will offer video for the iPhone or other phones.
