iPhone 3.0 will have landscape mode, Skype for iPhone

I took a deeper look at the 3.0 release and there will be landscape mode for email and SMS messages.  Check out the preview here.  It’s about time that Apple put this out, but the proof will be in the pudding.

On a related iPhone note, I installed the Skype app for iPhone today.  I am really excited by this, and so far so good.  I don’t have good cell reception at my home, so having the ability to make calls while at home via a low cost service like Skype will be great.  Unfortunately, Apple is restricting Skype traffic to Wi-Fi only to protect AT&T’s revenue stream for calls.  Chat will work over 3G, but calls will not.  I understand this, but it is really anti-consumer.  Apple has said that they do this for all VoIP apps for iPhone, so it’s not like Skype is being singled out, but this feels very heavy handed and to me comes close to a monopoly power (AT&T is the only US carrier for iPhone at the moment) marginalizing a direct competitor.  The app will be very useful, but would be so much more useful if it worked over the 3G network.

Unfortunately, this is another example of Apple almost getting it right.