On Wednesday, Fring.com claimed to have launched the world’s first VoIP application for the current iPhone. It’s a sneak preview version, and users will have to unlock their iPhone first.

"This special pre-release version of fring, developed in conjunction with the Holon Institute of Technology academic research labs is a direct response to iPhone users kicking our behind to get fring for their COOOOOL devices. Part of the objective here (besides getting you all excited with fring for iPhone) is to get feedback prior to release of the full-feature version and create a truly superb user experience for iPhone users," fring said on their Website.

A video in the fring blog demonstrates the use of the application and the buddy list.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tESDbzu4X3I"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tESDbzu4X3I" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

Fring notes in the installation instructions, in a rather low key way, that the user will first have to have their iPhone "opened," and refers users to the Internet without further discussion.

Apple has previously announced that it won’t block developers from building VoIP applications via Wi-Fi with the iPhone SDK, and commercial applications to do just that are expected. For those who already have an unlocked iPhone and can’t wait, fring might be an intriguing alternative.