Textfree app to add free calling feature this summer
Mobile users looking to beat the high cost of phone calls will soon have another weapon at their disposal. This summer, developer Pinger is planning an update to its Textfree Unlimited app that will add free voice services over 3G and Wi-Fi.
Textfree Unlimited already lets users avoid SMS charges—or, in the case of iPod touch users, add messaging capabilities—by sending text messages over the Internet. Last week, Pinger removed the app’s price tag; instead of $6, Textfree Unlimited is now a free download.
That sets the stage for this summer’s update, which will extend Textfree’s feature set to include calling features. Appropriately, that will also usher in a new name—Textfree with Voice.
According to a Pinger representative, Textfree with Voice will provide users with a second phone number. Friends will be able to call and text that number free of charge. iPod touch users will be able to use the calling features as well, though only when they’re connected to Wi-Fi. Because of policy changes earlier this year that allow VoIP apps to work over AT&T’s network, iPhone users will be able to call and text over 3G as well as Wi-Fi.
Textfree with Voice will join a growing of apps that offer calling features over a network connection—most notably Skype, which just added 3G support in its version 2.0 release. However, only Skype-to-Skype calling over 3G is currently free, and that’s expected to change in August when the company starts charging a small monthly fee. In contrast, Pinger says that Textfree users will be able to call anyone for free whether they use the app or not. The service will be supported by ads.
Textfree Unlimited is currently at version 3.4; the calling features will be added in a free update.
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Textfree app to add free calling feature this summer
Get Textfree Unlimited free for a limited time
Compatible with iPhones, iPods, and iPads, Textfree Unlimited offers unlimited free texting. And for today at least, the app itself is free!
(Credit:
Pinger)
Your monthly iPhone bill is high enough without tacking on another $5, $15, or $20 for a text-messaging plan. That's why free-SMS apps are so popular: They let you text to your heart's content without putting a single extra penny in AT&T's pocket.
One of the most popular free-SMS apps, Textfree Unlimited, costs $5.99. That's pretty cheap considering the money it can save you in the long run. Well, now it's cheaper still: For a limited time, you can get Textfree Unlimited absolutely free. (After clicking that link, just click Download Now to get to the app's iTunes page.)
How limited a time is "a limited time"? The app is today's deal from Free App a Day--one of several Web sites that help you score free iPhone apps--so at the very least you have until the clock strikes midnight. But I've noticed that many of FAAD's freebies stay free for several days after the initial promotion, so who knows? This could go through the weekend.
I've tried most of the popular free-SMS apps, and while they're all pretty good, Textfree Unlimited is my favorite. It loads quickly, supports push notifications, and even lets you pick your own phone number to use for sending and receiving texts. (Ideally, texts from Textfree would appear to come from your actual phone number, but this is the next best thing.)
What's more, there's no longer an annual $5.99 fee to use Textfree. It's now free for life, though you do have to put up with a few ads. (Actually, you can "buy out" the ads if you want, but I can't locate the price tag for doing so.)
Bottom line: If you want to save yourself six bucks now and upward of $240 per year on SMS fees, grab Textfree Unlimited while it's free.
Originally posted at iPhone Atlas
