Back in the balmy days of June, Skype bolted on the ability to make one-to-one video calls over both Wi-Fi and 3G via its Android application, but it was a fat lot of good to most users as very few handsets were actually able to make use of the feature.
Happily, the folks at Skype have now shuffled out an update that brings two-way video calling to 17 more smartphones, including the popular HTC Desire and Desire HD models as well as the Samsung Galaxy S and S II and Sony Ericsson Xperia handsets.
The Skype 2.1 for Android app can be downloaded for nowt from the Android Market, and once it’s safely nestled up inside your handset, you enjoy video calls from your Android phone with your Skype contacts on iPhone, Mac, Windows PCs and even a number of TVs.
The full roll call of supported phones is here:
(These handsets already support video calling)
Samsung Google Nexus S
Sony Ericsson Xperia neo
Sony Ericsson Xperia pro
HTC Desire SVideo calling is now available on the following Android devices:
Samsung Galaxy S II
Samsung Galaxy S
Samsung Droid Charge – Verizon
Samsung Galaxy Tab
HTC Desire (2.2)
HTC Thunderbolt – Verizon
HTC Sensation
HTC Evo 4G
HTC Evo 3D
HTC Incredible S
HTC Desire HD
HTC Flyer
LG Revolution – Verizon (2.2)
Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY
Sony Ericsson Xperia ray
Sony Ericsson Xperia mini pro
Acer A5
Not on the list?
If your device is tragically absent from their list, there’s still hope as anything above Android 2.2 should work, although Skype warns that ‘the call quality may not be as good.’
If you are using Android 2.2 Froyo, only the back camera will work with Android 2.2 Froyo which reduces the fun factor considerable, but at least Skype-to-Skype remains completely free.
