Recession or not, VoIP giant Skype wants to add to its existing 370 million customers by releasing a lite version of its Skype client destined for Google's Android platform and Java-enabled mobile phones.
The beta version was launched at International CES las week and could well mean that Skype is working on iPhone and iPod touch versions. Back in December 2007, hackers demonstrated Siphon, a VoIP client for the iPhone and iPod Touch v2.0
Significantly, the software works on more than 100 models of Java-enabled phones from the top five mobile phone manufacturers and delivers the core of Skype's functionality including making Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world.
In addition, the lite version of Skype does not need a WiFi Connection (or a 3G connection) and works using local air time and a mobile internet connection in order to sign in to Skype, update the contact list, update presence and send/receive calls or messages.
This means that you need both a calling plan and a data plan (as well as the explicit approval of your mobile service provider) although some providers like 3 Mobile already include Skype service in their service.
Skype is also working with Intel to get a Skype version for Mobile Internet Devices that's coded specifically for the Atom Processor coupled with the Moblin Linux Distro.
More than 100 billion minutes worth of calls have been dialled in over the last six years and has up to 15 million users making calls concurrently.
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Posted by Desire Athow on 13 January, 2009Désiré Athow is the Content Editor of ITProPortal.com and has been writing technology articles for nearly a decade. You can follow him on Twitter.
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