New iPhone to spark VoIP solutions revolution?

The next iPhone could see IP telephony solutions supersede traditional mobile networks, Gizmodo has said.

Details of the next iPhone were revealed last week by the gadget guide after it was left in a bar by an Apple software engineer last month.

This iPhone appeared to feature a front-facing camera. Gizmodo believes this could indicate that Apple is set to incorporate VoIP solutions and video calling into its instant mesaging application iChat.

A "well designed" iChat, unifying voice calls and SMS, would create "an alternative to traditional calling and messaging", Wilson Rothman, features editor at Gizmodo, said.

He explained that, if smartphone users could make voice calls to their family and friends using a VoIP provider client, they "may never make a regular real phone call again".

Mr Rothman added that he expects Apple to not only allow third-party VoIP apps to use the next iPhone to circumnavigate traditional networks, but also condone it "to the point of promoting it early and often".

Adoption of VoIP solutions could be encouraged by the volume of internet-enabled mobile phone sold last year.

Enhanced phones and smartphones accounted for around 81 per cent of global handset shipments in 2009, ABI Research said recently.