fring, a popular cross-platform messaging and Internet telephony client, has launched a whole new architecture designed to offer dynamic video call quality depending on bandwidth conditions and a simpler registration process, based on phone number/SIM card rather than user ID and passwords. Of note is that for the time being only the iOS and Android clients are on the new platform, with Symbian to be supported 'within a couple of weeks', meaning that fring on our devices is temporarily only able to talk to other Nokia/Symbian fring installations. It's not clear whether the fring client will notify us when the new version is available, but I'll keep you posted here on AAS, of course.

From the fring blog post:

We’ve just released a new version of fring, on a new, robust platform that’s better, faster and simpler for our users.

The new version of fring on this new platform will provide you with
- a better quality of service making all fring communication faster and easier
- a new & improved user interface (let us know what you think of our new look!)
- improved video call quality based on your real-time bandwidth / network conditions
- a faster and simplified registration process (via phone number – instead of userID / passwords)

In addition to the features you already enjoy using (like free calls, messaging video calls, group video, and almost free calls to landlines & mobiles worldwide with fringOut) we’ve also added some new features like group calls, auto-friend discovery, and more.

It’s very easy to upgrade to the new fring. Just upgrade the new version from the iPhone App Store or Google Play. (Symbian – coming soon… stay tuned! Note if you upgrade now and have friends on Nokia devices, you will be able to see them and communicate with them within a couple of weeks once Symbian is supported).

The existing fring client (from m.fring.com) still works fine within the Symbian fring world - I checked. When the new version arrives, all your current fring Contacts and fringOut credit will apparently be automatically transferred to the new version for you.

Do you still use fring? And for video calls, voice or just chat? And to users on other platforms (well, until this temporary platform break, anyway)?