VoIP and IM client Fring has updated its iPhone 4 application to allow users to make face-to-face video calls over a 3G connection, and to a host of mobile devices — not just other iPhone 4 handsets.
That pretty much clears up the gripes we had with FaceTime, Apple’s own video-calling platform, which restricted calls to friends who owned an iPhone 4, and who were also sitting pretty in a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Fring points out that the quality of the call will depend very much on the quality of your connection, but we can’t deny that until Apple deign to add 3G support for FaceTime, Fring is a step ahead. We’re also pleased with the ability to video chat with people using other devices.
We’re still not completely sold on video-calling in principle, mostly due to the fact that you’re essentially gazing up the nostrils of your close friends and associates. Still, we never say never, and we’re glad to see some competition entering the iPhone video-calling market.
Are you an experienced Fring user? Are you excited to see competition on the video-calling market, or would you rather the whole silly mess just went away? Scribble your answers on a postcard, then post that postcard into our comments section. Once you’ve done that, sit back and watch this delightfully crazy Fring exec explaining just why the service is so darn cool. You can download the app for free from iTunes.