Every time I load Skype on mobile I shake my head. It's not that the app is terrible - just that it's perpetually unstable. In my experiences you cannot use it for long periods of time as a messaging tool - because it disconnects all too frequently.
Then, depending on platform, you struggle with which version of Skype will make calls over cellular vs needing to use WiFi vs using carrier minutes.
To date it's all been a really disappointing mess - and Skype is one messaging protocol that I could see business standardizing on if only the mobile access were more consistent.
One of the services people have been asking for on Windows Phone is Skype and there is good news coming out of Spain today as Skype and Microsoft announce the availability of a beta client that you can download and install from this link directly from your Windows Phone. I installed it on my HTC Radar 4G and it is running smoothly so far.
The final version will be available in April, but so far the beta seems quite stable. You need to have Windows Phone 7.5 on your device and the following have been tested and certified:
- Nokia Lumia 710
- Nokia Lumia 800
- HTC Titan
- HTC Radar
- Samsung Focus S
- Samsung Focus Flash
You can check out the YouTube video of the new application and service in action too.
You will notice the Nokia Lumia 710 does not have a front facing camera, but as long as your device has one camera then you can make video calls too. I am a die hard Windows Phone fan and this just makes things that much better. You can also check out Terry Myerson’s blog post for more information on Windows Phone at Mobile World Congress.
