I’ve had some time to play around with both these apps and while they are competitors in some fields, they certainly are very different apps. Skype aims for a more elegant UI and tries to mimic the desktop Skype experience on mobile whereas Fring brings a more feature-full app with a functional, if not pretty design. Below I’ve highlighted some things I like about both apps and things that need improvement.
Skype:
Pros
- Simple and attractive user interface
- Lets you chat and call other Skype users on mobile or desktop
- Skype subscription plans ($3 for Unlimited Canada & US – extra 15% off right now!)
Cons
- No video calling
- No Skype SMS
- Requires Android 2.1
- Not compatible with all handsets including the Samsung Galaxy S
- Only works on WiFi in the US
Fring:
Pros
- Video and voice calls on any data connection internationally (WiFi/3G/4G)
- Multi-protocol chat client (SIP, AIM, MSN, ICQ, GTalk, Yahoo!)
- FringOut call rates (as low as 1c/min)
Cons
- User interface needs an overhaul
- No SMS service with FringOut credits
- No desktop client
Both apps definitely do a good job but there is a lot of room for improvement and hopefully we’ll see them with future updates. I did a quick video overview of both apps and it’s right below.
P.S. Let me know if you like these videos and we can try to do more! (sorry for the aspect ratio on this one)