No timetable on Skype for cellphones, sez CEO
Those cellphone addicts patiently waiting for a mobile version of Skype shouldn't hold their breath, it seems. At least that's the impression left by Skype CEO Niklas Zennstrom, who told Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat that the company has no publicly available products to offer and can't give a timetable for when they might available. Skype for Windows Mobile-based devices has, of course, been available for some time now, but other mobile platforms, namely Symbian, have proven a tougher nut to crack, with Zennstrom citing technical problems as the primary cause of the delay. Of course, it's not like Skype hasn't made any progress bridging the Skype/Symbian divide, with the app actually spotted running on a Nokia handset earlier this year --although the lack of any further apparent progress in the ensuing months probably should have been a clue that things weren't going quite as planned.
Filed under: Software
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike @ Sep 29th 2006 3:53PM
Why doesn't some OEM just build a skype phone that accepts an EVDO or UMTS card? An express 34 card drops into the back just like on a laptop, and you use the unlimited data plan to fuel your Skype fix?
By using an express card slot, you can sell it to users on any network, assuming they have a compatible card. OEM wins (sells hardware), carrier wins (sells card/service), user wins (Skype/VOIP goodness)
Kenundrum @ Sep 29th 2006 4:38PM
Because you can already get skype on windows mobile (phones) and that's a heck of a lot easier and probably less expensive than a data-card sticking out of a handset.
Kibi @ Oct 9th 2006 6:24AM
iSkoot does pretty good stuff in the meantime (full disclosure - I don't work for them, but I once did some work for them)
http://www.iskoot.com