Skype, the popular Internet telephony solution, has finally issued a general release version for Android phones. Unfortunately, it looks like Skype has released a somewhat crippled version, restricting U.S. users to WiFi only calls, much as it had when it first released its iPhone app.
Skype for Android comes with all of the standard features – from instant messaging to Skype-to-Skype calling – but will not support video calling, voicemail, SMS or file transfer. While Skype’s blog post announcing the new version makes it seem that voice calls are available over 3G, the fine print notes that U.S. users must use WiFi.
Skype first arrived on the Android platform last March on a number of Verizon phones. We asked Peter Parkes, communications lead at Skype, why U.S. users would be unable to make calls over 3G and he said it had to do with the Verizon partnership.
“We have an optimised solution for Android through our partnership with Verizon Wireless – this app allows non-Verzion Wireless customers to use Skype on their Android phones,” said Parkes. “There’s an extensive network of WiFi hotspots and WiFi providers across the US, so people in the US should have plenty of opportunities to use Skype.”
The Android version of Skype runs on devices with Android OS 2.1 and later and is available for download.
