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Google Talk

Google has released a web based version of Google Talk for the iPhone. It basically runs in the web browser Safari, which greatly limits its usefulness, as it’s unable to run in the background.

As with other Google services for the iPhone, Google Talk has a layout made specifically for the iPhone. All the features that you find in the desktop version of Google Talk are available here. But as it’s a web browser based application, it’s severely limited in the sense that it wont run in the background, it has no voice capabilities as like the desktop version, and no file sharing.

Although it does what it claims to very well. The messaging is a breeze, the service is fast. And most importantly, it saves you the 20$ per month, you’ll have to spend for text messages on your iPhone.

Agile Messenger

Agile messenger is one of the best IM applications for mobile platforms. It started out with Symbian Nokia handsets, but has now expanded to other mobile devices too. And on the iPhone it is an exceptionally great application. A quick run down of the features from Just Another iPhone Blog:

• Has a run-in-the-background capability (which can be turned off via Preferences) – that will play a sound and add a badge number on its icon to indicate when you have new messages.  This works even when the iPhone is in sleep mode.
• Has a Copy & Paste ability within chat sessions – so you can select a block of text, choose to copy it, and then paste it into your sending field.  This is implemented nicely too – not a bad example for other apps I think.
• Works with a broad range of IM services – GoogleTalk, MSN, AIM, Yahoo, ICQ, Jabber
• Lets you snap pictures with the iPhone camera and send them within a chat session – and they show up very nicely in its built-in viewer
• Has easy one-tap icons for setting your online status and messages
• Its interface is slick and easy to work with at every level – working with contacts, showing individual conversations each in their own tab, menus that drop down and get out of the way quickly once you tap away from them, and good looking colors and buttons throughout.

Both these apps use iPhone’s interface very well, but Agile Messenger comes out on top with it’s awesome features.

But, what does it mean for text messaging on the iPhone?

No text messaging plans have been included by AT&T in its iPhone 3G monthly plans, which is a massive rip off for customers as text messages don’t really cost the carriers that much. Despite giving a pretty interface for text messaging on the iPhone, the cost has been kept really high, which has been met with anger by customers. IM applications like these will be really welcomed as the 3G plans would save the cost of text messaging which to be honest, should have been included in the plans.

Although the price of the iPhone 3G has come down a lot then the original iPhone, carriers and Apple are still going to steal every dime they can from consumers to make up for that cost. This would surely mean a sharp reduction in the use of text messaging, and an increase in Mobile Instant Messaging. How the greedy carriers will react to this is yet to be seen, but surely it is something that they would have expected through their ridiculous text pricing.

MG Siegler has echoed these concerns by saying.

Instant messaging on phones with unlimited data plans such as the iPhone could easily kill text messaging. And it should, because I don’t want to keep paying for unlimited data only to have it be limited to certain kinds of data.

Not to forget, there are various applications which let you send text messages for free from the iPod Touch as well, which can easily be used on the iPhone to avoid the high text charges.

For now, IM applications will receive a warm welcome for those who are worried about the 20$ steal for text messages.