Skype has released an updated version of their app for the Android platform with the long awaited video calling support. Before you could jump in joy, here’s the catch: currently it works on only four handsets officially. Unless you have HTC Desire S, Sony Ericsson Xperia neo, Sony Ericsson Xperia pro or the Google Nexus S, you can’t really take advantage of this feature. Well Skype for Android has always been under criticism for the non-inclusion of video call support and also for the fact that the app is buggy and slow. When the similar Skype app for the iPhone got the video calling support long back, we don’t understand why a leading VoIP company like Skype took so much time to offer the same to the most popular smartphone platform in the world. We’re also surprised to find that the app doesn’t yet support the popular Android smartphones like Samsung Galaxy S II, HTC EVO 4G, Verizon Droid Charge and the HTC Thunderbolt (for which we have already seen a leaked Skype app with video calling support) etc.
Anyway, at least some of the Android users can take advantage of it for now and we’re hoping it would soon be rolled out to all other Android smartphones with front-facing camera. The updated app (version 2.0.0.47) brings two-way video calling over Wi-Fi or 3G to select handsets along with few UI enhancements. Watch the video after the break to learn more about the new updated Skype app for Android.
Download Skype:
Head over to Android Market (hit the link) or use the following QR code to directly go the app download page from your Android smartphone.
If you are using Samsung Galaxy S/S II or any other Android phone with front-facing camera, you can now try the modded Skype app to support video calling from here (may not work on all the devices). Download the apk file, movie it to SD card, open it using file explorer and install it (you must have uninstalled any other version of the app installed on your phone before doing this).
[Source: Skype]