Where are the Push Notifications?

3.0 is here. I'm frustrated that you guys aren't ready for it.

Skype iPhone is kinda useless with no push notifications so 1.1 still kinda useless. Why even include IM capability without it, what are people supposed to do - send me an email that we should skype chat?

Hey guys, where is our Push Notifications?!
Is it so difficult to implement?

I'm not sure why this is, but, I don't seem to have the option to send sms anywhere. I've got the latest skype and 3.0 but the only options I get are to phone or to chat. I see on a few screenshots I've seen that the chat button is replaced with a sms button on one of the contact screens, but that isn't the case for me. Anyone have any idea's about this?

Same, I can't find where I can send sms...

Really need Push notifications more than any of these features.

If there is any app that needs push notifications it's certainly Skype...

You will see the SMS button when viewing the profile of a phone number contact.

So it won't send sms to people in your phones native address book? Where everyones number are kept? And you can't send an sms to a number you type in yourself?

You gotta be kidding me. No push? What the hell R U doing?
It's a shame...

Caught the news about the new release, my first thought? "Yay, push notifications for Skype!". How could you guys not have anticipated that people would want and expect this feature more than anything else? Other apps have been rolling out push enabled versions over the past week - why are you guys behind the game?

No Push Notifications is, without question, ridiculous. Even more disgraceful however is the fact that there still isn't even the most basic fundamental of a sound/vibrate notification when the app is running and a message comes in. I use Skype primarily for IMing purposes and without this, this app is completely worthless (deleted it actually since this 1.1 "update"). I actually had to resort to using IM+ since they now support Skype WITH sounds/vibrations and EVEN push notification. I paid them $10 for this... money I'd gladly have thrown Skype's way had they proven to be worthy in any way, shape or form. Here's hoping SOMEONE with basic programming sense gets to read these comments and fills a few of these gaping holes in future versions of this app.

+1. Completely worthless on iPhone without push.

I am about to completely drop Skype as a messaging platform, unless they get their act together with iPhone support. First it took them a year to even come out with a basic iPhone app. Now, how long do we have to wait for Push notifications??

I hope Google Voice comes out with proper iPhone integration and blows this 1.1 crap out of the water.

No push notifications?

We need push notifications for both incoming calls and new voicemails.

HALLO!!!
Where is the Push Notifications?!

Ok, so how do I send a SMS?? I enter a phone number and there is no txt option! Do we have to create a contact entry for every number we want to txt to? How did you think this is a good idea. We don't all keep our phonebook as a skype contact...

No Push Notifications, really?? Fail!

Thanks for enabling paid SMS while ignoring FREE 3.0 notifications, in addition to ignoring lots of other requests from folks here who gave you feedback. Why bother asking for feedback if you're going to ignore it? I'm waiting to add Skype credits to my account until notifications are available. Maybe if all other iPhone users do the same, they will get the hint...

+1

Same for me, Skype on iPhone would be really appreciated with push notification for incoming messages and incoming calls on 3G AND Wifi either. Keep up the good work!

Matt

To raf_polivec and all of you requesting push notifications – we hear you

We’re concentrating on providing the very best experience possible on the iPhone. Your feedback is important – it’s why we’ve included SMS and voicemail in this release. But we can’t do everything at once, unfortunately.

Keep your eyes on this blog – we’ll be sure to keep you posted.

@peterparkes, certainly we can't and don't expect you to do everything at once - but it is reasonable to expect you to prioritize the most useful things first.

Any second your iPhone developers spend on anything other than push is a second wasted, since that is clearly the most desired and useful outstanding feature.

Can you at least assure us that push has the highest priority among your outstanding features?

On the positive side, I do very much appreciate your willingness to leave people's feedback, even when its critical, on this blog entry, and even to respond to it. Many other companies would delete any comments other than "your software is great!". Thank you for treating your blog like a conversation, not a loudspeaker.

without push, skype on the iphone is useless for me. Thanks for listening to us, but understand that I can't be bothered using SMS on Skype (or even opening it), especially when i can just use my phone for SMS.

I don't think push notification is technically possible for skype, or is at least, very difficult, but I hope I'm wrong.

As far I know, skype is a peer to peer system, which means when you call someone, your skype application talks directly to their skype application and people/servers at Skype don't even know it happened. The same with IM. That's why skype is so cheap, they don't need a huge central server setup. For push notification, it would need to go through a central server ... so that the skype server can talk to the apple servers which push it to your phone.

The only things that exist on the skype servers would be your voicemail messages, and your contact list. If either of those changed you could be pushed a notification.

I presume you could be pushed a notification if there was a skype-in call.

The only way I think they could do it would be to change the skype protocol so that each peer (or super node) can push notifications to the skype central server, and then they push to apple, and apple pushes them to you. And with 23.6 Billion minutes of calls made every quarter I don't see that happening soon.

No Push for Skype on Iphone

I think the criticism is sent the wrong way, the issue is that the Iphone does not multitask and cannot have Skype running in the background as any other Windows Mobile or Symbian device can. I have an Iphone and in many ways it is not a smart phone compared to my windows mobile.

So sour comments about this should be sent to Apple, not to Skype

Stefan

This is lame! Don't bother putting out another update unless there's gonna be push notification. The new features are comparatively useless. Get with it people!

stefan_miami, push notifications exist now on iphone, and can be implemented to notify people when someone is calling them/IMing them. Forget multitasking right now. And this is something Skype has to do, not Apple

kohlyn, IM+ is offering push notifications for skype, and soon nimbuzz will too. So you´re telling me Skype themselves can´t do it? Please...

No push yet? Pfftt, worthless update. Come on Skype, you used to be so innovative, I was one of the early adopters and got all my friends to sign up (which they did and loved it). Give us push, and don't make me buy IM+ which DOES have push... Skype has to be on top of it all!

(Signed up for Skype in 2003 to be exact, version 0.92 beta, I still remember the thrill of seeing a 5 digit number of people online for the first time. Used it for dating my fiancé oversees, and we've been married almost 4 years now)

I wrote this on another website, but it would seem best to write it here as well in the hope that the Devs would see it..

The simplest solution would be that when the iPhone app is activated then the user is online as normal. When they have logged in once, then closed the app, that would activate push notifications for a day or so (just like the AIM app). The iPhone status would be ‘Away’ in this situation (as technically they are away – just like they have stepped away from their PC for lunch or whatever). Calls could go straight to voicemail where the voicemail would be pushed to show as a badge when they have finished recording. IM’s would push to a badge as well, just like on the desktop.

How about they route iPhone calls (in & out) through a central server like Blackberry? Of course this would cost money, but most people wouldn’t mind paying extra for mobility on the move, as long as it wasn’t the rip off prices you get from the Telcos. I hear what you are saying about 23 billion minutes of calls, but you can't tell me that a large number of those include an iPhone - at present. If the Devs get Push right, that number would change and it would be... awesome!!

The Skype app REALLY NEEDS push notification as other people have mentioned. Without push notifications, this app is severely lacking in its usability.

For my kids, push notifications is the #1 request.

The scenario is: kids are equiped with iPod Touch and skype. They currently use it to call friends from home, school, starbucks, McDonalds, you get the picture. What is missing is the ability to receive calls which push notification would enable. As for cost, we would be signing up for incoming phone numbers adding to Skype's revenue stream. Oh, and both grandparents are seeing the ease and reliability of skype, I would not be surprised to see them replace the cell phone plan for an itouch + skype.

Thanks for working on this - I'm very impressed with the sound quality, it's better than on my Mac. However, I also want Push notifications - AND bluetooth headset support, if at all possible. Thank you!

I'm not going to continue with this same rant about the push notification. My only issue with 1.1 is that now when i call out to phone numbers using skype, we have poor connection even though i'm on a strong wifi connection. Theres no other computers connected to my wifi, no downloading going on, just my skype calling out. I can always here the other end just fine, but they cant hear me well and when a connection does come in clear for both of us, they have a delay of about 3 secs when talking to me. I never had this issue with 1.0, infact i used my skype alot seeings that i'm stationed overseas right now. In your next revision when you add push-notification, please address any changes made to the connection quality if any, or make the proper changes to increase it please.

@timothy.garrity thanks for letting us know – sorry you’re experiencing lag with 1.1. I’ll make sure the iPhone team are aware of the problem.

And to all of you asking for push notifications, please keep your comments coming. Your feedback helps us prioritise things

Hello,

I'm not sure if this the push problem that folks are talking about, but how come I can't seem to receive Skype calls on my ipod touch? I can make them just fine but even if I have the app loaded and on-screen I'm not notified when someone is trying to call me. Is there something I'm doing wrong?

Many thanks.

Hello I do not have a iphone or blackberry but I want to get one of the devices, put a data package one but not voice. I would use skype as my voice not AT&T. I know that skype only works for making calls not carrying them on the blackeberry but if I dont have a voice plan at all then will skype carry my calls then? This is the future. I just wanna pay for data on my bill and pay for skypes unlimited.

coolwhip -

We're using an ipod touch that way and using skype over wifi as our phone. The only problem is that it seems we can't receive calls.

I don't know about Blackberry, but if you opted for the iPhone you'd either have to pay for a voice plan or pay the full price of the phone. That's why we went the Touch route.

@kruparob you’re definitely running the most recent version of Skype on your iPod touch, right? (i.e. 1.1 rather than 1.0)

Thanks Peter. I was wrong. We can receive calls but only if the Touch isn't locked and Skype is the loaded app. I'm sorry I wasn't more careful when testing. I guess that's the push problem that everyone is complaining about and I understand their frustration. Thanks for a very good product and all your hard work. I'm sure that's a priority.

And sorry for spreading misinformation. Feel free to delete those older posts.

What on earth does that have to do with Skype, this is nothing but spam. Anyway, adding my voice, WE WANT PUSH!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice, but push, please. Soon, please.

without push for IPHONE it just do not match the expectations of the customers!

I too need push notification, although even having push is still a rather weak solution. What I and I believe most people really want is for the iPhone to ring when someone is calling me, regardless of whether the Skype app is running or the phone is in sleep mode. Now if the push notification could identify a voice call from a chat and trigger a script which rang the phone and brought up the anwser/decline window you would find yourselves back at the cutting edge and with a killer app that would not only delight the current iphone skype community but guaranteed would dramatically increase your revenue. You do realise a few weeks ago apple released the iPhone 3Gs and in the first weekend over a million 3Gs' were sold and it's not even available yet in many countries!!

There is of course a solution available now to this problem of incoming calls, to apply a jailbreak to the iphone. It's a solution which I've had no option but to implement and I must say it works pretty well but I would have preferred not to have gone down this route.

I'm frustrated with one change:
That online skype contacts don't sort to the top. They seem to get mixed in with all 'real' phone numbers.
This is frustrating, as I use skype to communicate with people who are online, via voice and IM. Of course, I also use it to make phone calls but this is a different use for me, and for many.
It appears at first glance to be an attempt to trick users into thinking EVERYONE in your contact list should be considered 'online'. They are not, it's just an inconvenience.
Yours, Jono

Could skype play some sound when receiving a message? I mean when skype is running, without push. In other words: can I be notified in ANY WAY that a message have arrived?

And before I forget: PUSH would be great!

@jono.kokkugia thanks for your feedback – I’ll pass it on.

My friends are frustrated with Skype, because my voice keeping breaking up, delayed and complain of noisy....seems like this happened lately after the v1.1 got upgraded and also the iphone OS3.0 not sure which is giving this problem. I tried this in 3 different countries and all had the same feedback.
However, when I called in the first 5mins all is fine Skype was perfect but got to stop after 5mins due to very poor audio on the other end, but my end the sound is clear from my friends. Another thing that I observed is that the iphone usually gets warmer than this happens not sure if this is related.
I hope Skype can do something or address this apps with Apple else many of my friends will not like to talk to me over skype.

My friends and family are also frustrated because of the poor sound quality at their end when I use Skype on my iPhone to call them. I can hear them fine, but they complain about choppiness and delays. I haven't found the five minute delay - just really poor sound quality that results in mutual frustration. Are there any strategies to fix this problem? Is this being looked into? Please let us know.

I am a paying customer and love skype. I use it all the time with friends and business. I was so excited to see an update from Skype for the iPhone and then was SO DISAPPOINTED to find out the PUSH is not included. Common!!! Much smaller companies than Skype were able to develop Push Notification for their app. I continue to check my app updates on daily basis in hopes to one day, I get an update from Skype with Push! Please give this a high priority! Non of the third party apps for Skype are even worth considering. You have a fantastic interface but it is missing Push for chatting.

I can say one thing! This app is useless without PUSH. I have paid $10 for IM+ only for Skype Push. I like the Skype App a lot better. I was will and still willing to pay for your app with a working PUSH. PLEASE put as your highest priority!!!! I know you are not getting enough feedback on this thread. Logon to iTune and listen to everyone who wants Push. Skype was #1 app when it was first introduced and since 3.0 it dropped to #50 and very soon no one would want to use it. Millions of iPhone users will go to Google today if Google has an alternative. Do not loose out!!!! Clean it up and add Push for IM and VM and maybe for incoming calls if possible but let's start with IM and VM.

First off, my "spam" comment referred to a post that is now deleted, so whoever posted above me, it wasn't about you!

That said, IM+ has push (I bought it), now Nimbuzz has push (downloaded for free). They both offer Skype, but I want The Real Skype to give me push... as others said, you can do it! You need to, stay on top, anyway hotrodva above me said it all and better than me

In its present form Skype on the iPhone is only useful for outgoing communication. It cannot receive messages or calls unless the app is actually running. People don't use iPhones like that.

Push notification would mean that the phone can both send AND receive messages. Suddenly the app would become genuinely useful. And that would bring many new users to Skype.

All I need now is PUSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! For the love of all things Skype, tell us when we can expect it!

Oh, and one more thing. It seems that I can listen to voicemails on my iPod Touch when I have the headset plugged in. However when they aren't plugged in I would expect to hear it on the external speakers. Not so much. It looks like it's playing the message, but I hear nothing. Is this normal?

Push is by far the most important missing feature for us as well. Thanks for listening.

As all the others... PUSH is the one feature that NEEDS to be added in 1.2.

Thanks for the great APP!

From my side, being running around with 2 phones, it's either push on the iphone (much preferred) or skype for the blackberry (with push off course) to make skype my second communication method. Email is available 24/7, the phone itself is. Now IM...

So pleeeeaaaasssseee

Please give us PUSH notifications!

Come on guys. We really need push.

hi, i bought a headset on the skype shop for my iTouch, thinking i could use it to make skype calls. Now that i ave the headset- there is no microphone capability though the headphones do work. ive checked the website and they aren't mac compatible!! what headset/microphone works with the itouch??? please

@jackigil - The Apple Store (and my local Target) sells "Earphones with Remote and Mic". Essentially looks like the earphones that came with the touch, but has a mic built into the cord for the right earphone. Has a middle button that starts/stops music playback, and plus/minus buttons to control the volume. The middle button does not answer a Skype call, however. Best solution I've found so far unfortunately.

I am a new user to the iPhone, have been using Skype on a Nokia handset till date where it let me do a few things that i prefered Skype for, but since i haev switched over to Skype i have found that i can only use chat and make calls using my credit ONLY!!!
What if i need to call any contacts that i have online???
I get an error stating that Skype will not allow calls on 3G due to contractual obligatins, could some one help me understand what they are? and will i be able to make calls to my contacts in the near future?

The lack of push notification support in Skype for iPhone has forced me to look elsewhere. I can´t believe Skype wasn´t able to implement this imperative feature after more than 6 months in which iPhone OS 3.0 was available to developers. Skype is obviously not interested in the iPhone platform. I will be back using Skype whenever they respond to customers needs and demands.

This is ridiculous !

Yeah, so Push ... before 2010?

Is it possible to allow skype to continue to operate while the unit is "locked"?

I'd be thrilled just to be able to listen to music (screen locked, skype as active program) when I'm waiting for a call / chat.

Maybe offer choices/volume for ring (in settings)?

Ever comment is about Push. For fucks sake, come on guys release this shit already.

Please add push notification.

Please give us Push notifications in Skype for iPhone. The most missing feature!!
I use Skype mostly for chat and a background notification for chat would be very very nice.

I really don't use Skype on the iPhone since push notifications is missing...

Push! Nuff said.

I would actually start paying to use this service if I could get push notifications of incoming text and voice calls.

Push! I really need Skype on the move to stay in touch with people on the other side of the globe and for that I and many others are waiting for push notifications. It should be the number one priority for the Skype iPhone-developers since the app works fine otherwise.

So please bring us push notifications!

I am done with Skype for Iphone app. I am calling internationally and paying the rates for calling my family but I can't talk for a minute straight I have more a more dropped calls every single time I use it. I am standing next to my wireless router and have at least 4 dropped calls in a minute... It's been getting worst every time. Once my balance is over I am uninstalling Skype and going back to phone cards!!

Push Please!

dont worry abt the push......just install fring which supports push notification....and fring supports skype, msn, yahoo and other messenger as well.....i haven tried it yet......but worth trying...jus hav a look......

I love using Skype, but definitely need 'push' with the iPhone app!

Push notification! Come on guys, it's the way to go to sell Skype for iPod Touch as a replacement to phones!! This feature and the new auto wi-fi login provided in the 3.0 software would be the killer combo to make sales explode

You really need push notifications in order to make sense on the iPhone …
Also in addition to that, landscape keyboard would be great!

And one more ... Push notifications are missing!!!

We need Push notifications! I've been waiting for about 2 weeks now to purchase a skype-in number and use the push capability with my ipod touch. You guys really need to implement it or at least make an official statement, otherwise people will find a solution elsewhere.

I already commented earlier, but I didn't explicitly state my feelings regarding push:
Please provide PUSH!!!
... and landscape keyboard as well. You developer guys are using 3.0 right? Lets start using the features!!

Yeah, my wife and I just signed up for Skype and use it on our iPhones. It solves one big problem for us: being able to make calls from an area where there is zero cell coverage - a place in the country where we spend our weekends.

Now, we'd use it even more if we could RECEIVE phone calls as well. Of course, I mean without having to have the Skype app open at all times which is obviously not practical.

So, yes, count us as MUST HAVE PUSH. Please!

Phoning home to the UK from Japan for free is the best - would be better with push but as long as I can find hotspots I'm happy!

push please! incoming calls are lost without it!

Dear Peter
I am in Egypt and used skype lately to call friends in USA on my iPhone 3g os3
quality is good and everything ok
aside from this nasty absence of push (which I think is ridiculous) and skype excecutive should stop this intimidating "wait and see" policy which serves nothing but to down their credits especially in a fast growing business of it and dsl and of course the smartphones in at least my 70 millions country ( I hope they recon that)
having said that I appreciate ur excellent service and have some other complaint which is when I put my original ears microphones the sound quality immediately is changed to worse on the other end only. I hear him good but he complains that something has gone wrong. I then remove the earphones and immediately the response is "that is much better". I can not figure out the reason since these are still brand u and it works good on cellular networks
hope u could help (my friend is talking on his pc using headsets)
another question that occured to my and sorry for saying it without being sure, does this delay in making push has to do with the ad that saw many months on the new Samsung iPhone that has Skype be configured automatically as the iry network when used in wifi areas and if no wifi it automaticlly use the cellular networks?

just a PUSH notification for incoming chat message... then skype for iphone will be useful as a 2-way communication app. Please just add the most basic PUSH ASAP, then worry about gilding any other new features!

Push notification support (especially for incoming calls) would be terrific. Thanks.

Hi Peter. As a paying Skype subscriber, having push notifications on the iphone app would make this even better. I currently use skype when I work from home and it'd be great if I could tell my coworkers to call my skype # directly instead of having to keep the skype app running all the time. Thank you.

Hi Peter,

We need Push Notifications very very badly

We use and love the Skype iPhone app but the lack of notifications are a serious problem. The iPhone platform now does have support for push notifications. I would like to state the business requirement in this fashion:

1) The user should have two settings named something like: "Be notified about incoming calls" and "Be notified about incoming message" that he can switch to On or Off.

2) If the setting is Off, which could be the default, then the iPhone app does not need to subscribe to Push notifications at all.

3) If the setting is On, then:
3a) If the user receives a chat message, then regardless of the application the user is currently running, a message window should pop up with the first few words of the message and with two buttons, Ignore or Go to Chat. Touching the latter button will launch the Skype application and take the user to the relevant Conversation window.
3b) If the user receives an incoming voice call, then regardless of the application the user is currently running, a message window should pop up with two buttons: Answer and Decline. Clicking on the former button should launch the Skype application and begin the voice call.

Okay, I'm pretty technically savvy, but I can't figure out a way to go to my home page from Skype and NOT sign out of Skype!! I want it up and running at all times!! Can anyone help, or is this something unavoidable right now???

I currently am using skype on my iPhone while abroad and availing of the free hotel wifi for calls. Is there a way to activate skype directly from a highlighted number on a web page/maps etc instead of writing down the number, close browser, open skype then dialing direct???

I just wasted my money on a Skype phone number. Here's another request for push.

PUSH... I too am pushing for push... All of the other new features were in comparison not at all necessary. Push is the number one priority for everyone it seems.

You REALLY REALLY need push notificications- and it would be nice if the SMS was unlimited, i would pay for it, if it was, also I believe the text messages should be sent from the skype number.

What they said. Push +1

Well it is blatently obvious that push is the biggest omission, the lack of landscape mode for SMS and skype chat is insane. What are you paying your dev team for if they weren't able to include these two features right when 3.0 came out. I could see there perhaps being difficulties with push but the lack of landscape mode is mind boggilingly stupid. Thanks for all the wasted skype credits boyos.

Landscape keyboard should be also a "Must". It's quite slow write using the current keyboard... either for sms or for chat. Thanks!

The two main things that I would like to see included in the next skype update are push notification for chat and the ability to make VOIP calls over 3g.
Thanks

PUSH, pretty please!!!

Landscape mode please!

I agree that push should a HUGE priority. I'm really excited to use skype more (and pay for upgrade features), but without Push capabilities for my iphone, I won't ever know when to check for calls or IMs. No good... There must be lots of smarties on the skype development team. I know you guys can figure it out...I believe in you