Skype for Windows Phone App Released in Beta
Skype over the weekend released a beta version of the Skype for Windows Phone app, bringing the popular internet calling service to the Windows Phone platform.
Attention all Windows Phone users — you can now Skype with friends on your phone!
Skype over the weekend released a beta version of the Skype for Windows Phone app, bringing the popular internet calling service to the Windows Phone platform. With Skype for Windows Phone beta, users can make free audio and video calls, excluding any potential data charges, to other Skype users over 3G, 4G, or WiFi networks. Users can download the app now from the Windows Phone Marketplace app store.
"Many of you have been waiting for this," Rick Osterloh, VP of product at Skype, wrote in a blog post Sunday.
With the app, users can also make paid calls to landlines and other mobile devices by first paying for Skype Credit. Other features allow users to hold one-to-one and group chats, as well as update their profiles and account information. A YouTube video shows the features of the new app.
Skype recommends using a strong Wi-Fi connection for the best quality video calling.
The app has been "tested and certified" on a number of devices, including the , Nokia Lumia 800, , , , and . Skype warned, however, that the app will come with occasional bugs or usability issues, because it is a pre-release product. Also, the beta version only supports English language.
A final version of the app will be released in April, Skype said.
To use the app, users will need to have a phone running Windows Phone 7.5 (otherwise known as "Mango") or higher. Users can check which version of Windows Phone their device is running, by going to Settings > About.