Ifbyphone Promises IPhone-based 'voice Broadcast'

Ifbyphone on Monday announced plans to release an iPhone application that will enable iPhone users to send recorded messages to as many recipients as they wish without using their calling plan minutes.

Ifbyphone said that the new "Voice Broadcast" functionality will be released in July as an application for iPhones running the iPhone 2.0 software, which Apple has previously announced as debuting this month. iPhone 2.0 will enable users to purchase and download third-party applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch through an Apple' managed "App Store" that will function similarly to the iTunes Store.

Applications for Ifbyphone's Voice Broadcast technology include traveling managers who need to send a voice memo out to their staff while being away, or for parents who want to reach the entire family all at once. The application will be free to download, though Ifbyphone requires an active subscription in order to use.

Voice Broadcast will work by selecting a group of recipients from the iPhone's Address Book, then entering the delivery date and time. The Voice Broadcast application lets you record a message, which is then sent at the appointed time. Because the message is being sent as data, it doesn't impact the number of minutes you've selected in your calling plan.

Ifbyphone has also announced the release of a new Voice Broadcast Application Programming Interface (API) that developers can use to integrate voice broadcast messaging into their own software.