iPad may be able to carry VoIP

The iPhone has recently gained the ability to become a VoIP carrier, with a landmark announcement by Apple freeing up the smartphone.

And VoIP on the iPhone is now beginning to take off, according to Rein Marketing, which has just launched a new VoIP site.

Jason Pranger of Rein Marketing said of all the applications available for the iPhone, it is the VoIP supporting ones which are drawing all the attention.

And now VoIP may be coming to Apple's next-generation tablet computer the iPad, with all the hardware (microphone, speakers and Wi-Fi) pointing to VoIP capability.

"With the introduction of the iPad, the hope is that Apple will allow the same VoIP functionality as they have with the iPhone. This will make what is already going to be a highly portable and extraordinarily flexible communication platform even better. The possibility is very exciting," said Mr Pranger.

Currently, there is confusion over whether the iPad will gain VoIP functionality because of fears over such an immense level of VoIP use that carrier networks suffer and go down due to the inordinantly large bandwidth requests.

But this is testimony to the strength of VoIP as a product and serves as evidence of the appetite of consumers for IP telephony solutions.

The iPad is due to launch in the UK in March 2010.