3G or WiFi Video calls come to iPhone Skype AT LAST!!!

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Thursday, 30 December 2010 18:41

Your IT - Mobility

Although Skype went through hell last week with a massive meltdown, Skype was clearly gearing up to stun and amaze us all with its new Skype video call version for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, something that works over 3G and Wi-Fi, in a clear challenge to the Wi-Fi only FaceTime - although Skype STILL doesn't work with Bluetooth!!!

Skype now lets iPhone users make and receive VIDEO calls, whether over 3G or Wi-Fi, and works even if you have an iPod Touch or iPad.

Naturally you'll need an iPhone 4 or 4th-generation iPod Touch with front facing camera if you want to see the person you're speaking to and for them to see you at the same time, but it works - whether you're calling from an iPhone to another iPhone, or whether the call is going to or from a PC to your chosen iDevice.

While Skype naturally advises a strong Wi-Fi connection on either end for the best results, I just made a video call from an iPhone 4 on Optus 3G in the state of New South Wales in Australia, to my editor's iPhone 4 on Vodafone 3G in the state of Victoria, in Australia, more than 1200 kilometres apart.

Both calls were done over the 3G network, although we did test Wi-Fi as well, and given that both the Optus and Vodafone networks aren't as strong as the Telstra network, the quality was surprisingly good and the video quite clear, although I think FaceTime video is slightly clearer. Either way, the quality was good, and if you scroll down below you'll see a screen shot of what the video between us looked like.

A call from an iPhone 3GS to an iPhone 4 or a PC resulted in the iPhone 3GS video being sent from the rear camera, which is quite normal - the iPhone 3GS has no front mounted camera. Likewise iPad users will only be able to receive video, but not send it - or at least, not until the iPad 2 comes out with its rumoured twin cameras, front and back, for photos, videos, FaceTime and now Skype video calls. 

Skype for iPhone (and iPod Touch and iPad) is now at version 3.0, with the App Store description noting the improvements as being:

- Make Skype to Skype video calls on WiFi or 3G (with the asterisk that 3G could mean that 'additional data charges may apply)
- Call Skype desktop users (Mac OS X or Windows) and other iPhone users.

NOTE: Although Skype does not mention the word 'Linux' on the App Store Skype listing, on page two you'll see that Skype for Linux can also receive and send Skype video calls.

Back to the App Store details:

- Two-way video calls supported on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch 4th gen.
- Receive only video supported on iPad and iPod Touch 3rd gen with no camera.
- Make video calls in portrait and landscape
- Skype video calling requires iOS 4.0 or above.

Here's what a video call over 3G networks looked like.



More information from Skype on its new 3G/WiFi video calling Skype on page two, please read on!