VOIP Coming for the iPhone?

As if Apple’s fantastically gifted iPhone needed any more features for owners to toy with, it looks like there is a big one of the horizon. What could possibly bolster the phone that has everything? This time, it might come in the form of voice-over WiFi. Reports have surfaced this week that TruPhone, one of the world’s premier technological pioneers, is claiming to have developed a VOIP solution for the iPhone. This speculation was bolstered by reports of a company demonstration that occurred sometime this week.

There has long been speculation that this move might have been coming for the iPhone. After all, the revolutionary device had almost everything already. Previously, when companies had attempted to initiate WiFi service into the phone’s working system, they ran into problems with the SIM card. All of that is water under the bridge now, as TruPhone appears poised to introduce a system that doesn’t have any problem crossing over from a WiFi to cellular connection without ever unlocking the SIM card. Apple and its primary carriers have been lobbying against any sort of additions that would force customers to unlock their SIM card, so this comes as a decent solution to everyone involved.

Not all is cheery for Apple and its primary carrier, AT&T, though. With their efforts thus far, the two companies have done almost everything humanly possible to preserve the money making ability of this product. They have held no punches in trying to maximize the overall profit producing potential of the iPhone. If TruPhone’s plan to initiate WiFi calling is true, then we could see free wireless calls being made from anywhere to anywhere. The prospect of such a situation would not only worry Apple and AT&T executives, but it might just make them cringe. After all, there are checkbooks and wallets involved, here.

There is another interesting storyline shaping up if this news turns out to be true. If this application actually comes to fruition around the time of the next iPhone release in November, then the device can be expected to compete much more closely with T-Mobile’s Hotspot @ Home service. This would put Apple in uncharted waters, though the company has been known to find their swimming legs quite well when faced with a business model challenge. It could cause a long term change in the fundamental cell phone service battle.

There is no word yet on when such a service might be introduced, if at all. All signs point to the upcoming re-launch of the iPhone, as the timing of the TruPhone announcement seems to suggest that such a move is imminent. The company is hoping to create enough buzz to overcome the inevitable negative effects that will occur when Apple and AT&T give their modest disapproval. Regardless of these things, the fact still remains that the iPhone is presenting new, exciting options for its customers. For the device that has everything, it seems that the fun has just begun.